The Ends: 01 The Self Divided
by kalinda001
Summary: From the Ends to the Beginning: The series following Perceptions. An old enemy appears and the crew acts strangely. Is there a werewolf on the Justice? Something special occurs at the end. A reminder from the end of Perceptions, Avon is currently blind.
1. Chapter 1

**Note**: _From the Ends to the Beginning_, is the third series in these PGP stories. This one will resolve several ongoing mysteries and will delve into the pasts of the four boyz (Avon, Argus, Vila and Sester).

Just some reminders from the previous series:

Avon is currently blind because of Jenna (Story 11 Perceptions of Truth).

Avon, Argus, Vila and Sester discovered they were all childhood friends at a place called, The Academy, but their memories of each other were wiped.

Jenna has been allowed back onboard the ship but none of them trust her.

The Psychostrategist's Guild has a mysterious agenda.

**Some quotes for this story**:

"We humans fear the beast within the wolf because we do not understand the beast within ourselves."  
~ Gerald Hausman

"To look into the eyes of a wolf is to see your own soul - hope you like what you see."  
~ Aldo Leopold

"Only a mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of a wolf."  
~ Aldo Leopold

"The gaze of the wolf reaches into our soul."  
~ Barry Lopez

"Throughout the centuries we have projected on to the wolf the qualities we most despise and fear in ourselves."  
~ Barry Lopez

**Chapter One**

Jenna Stannis was in a foul temper. Which was not unlike any other mood she had been in since she'd returned to the ship, on the sufferance of everyone on board. Especially that obscenely happy pair, Avon and Cally. Not that you could tell with that stony-faced bas… Jenna corrected herself. Their expressionless technical genius.

She dabbed her cheek fiercely with the colour applicator. Argh! Why couldn't she get the shading right? Now she looked like the ghost of… She shook her head and read the label on the applicator container.

_Guaranteed to make you look years younger. _Younger than what? My dead grandmother?

_Or your credits back. _Yes, well, fat chance of that since she'd scrounged it up from the _Justice's_ clothing and accoutrements rooms. Who knows where the ship had obtained its stores. Or why.

Expiry date…the number was smudged out. Hang on; the damned thing had an expiry date? Jenna dropped the stick with disgust and dug around the drawer for an old standby, Scansian pink. The colour rolled smoothly on.

She looked at herself appraisingly in the mirror. _Just a bit more. That would stop those young blades from thinking I'm old. _

Her lips twisted in a momentary scowl. Frown lines and dark circles under her eyes. It was all Avon's fault. He had her reading hour after hour of boring technical manuals. She could almost swear that he was trying to make her as blind as he was. Wouldn't put it past the vindictive…technical genius.

He seemed to find it fascinating but she wasn't buying it. No one could possibly find those dry, incomprehensible manuals - obviously written by people who had no life - interesting. She was certain that he was doing it just to torture her.

Jenna angled her head in the light, wondering if the dermal regenerator would help.

Another scowl. That would mean going to Cally. There was no way she was going to do _that_.

_More colour applicator_.

**********

Jenna stood in line at the food dispenser. She was getting very tired of having all these people aboard. Tapping her foot impatiently, she noticed the strapping young soldier, Lt. Dain entering. He nodded politely as he stepped into line behind her. "Ma'am."

Jenna suppressed a snarl. _Frown lines. Remember, frown lines._

"Good morning, lieutenant."

"It's a fine morning, ma'am."

These soldiers from Athol were so excruciatingly polite that they jangled on her frayed nerves. "It is for some people," she grumbled irritably.

"I'm sorry." Dain stared hard at her for a moment, as if he'd noticed she had grown an extra head, and then looked away.

"Is there something wrong, soldier?"

"No…I just…I've never seen that shade before. I was wondering if you were ill. "

A deep scowl added to Jenna's frown lines.

**********

In Avon's lab, Jenna's fingers jabbed at the controls on the side of an alien-looking object as he dictated. "Mu over Si. By Al differentiated. L sin U equals. Six double xv minus phi inverted to the power of mixed gamma…"

"Slow down!" Jenna exclaimed as she tried to keep up. She felt her fingers hitting the wrong key. "Damn!"

Avon said dryly, "Did you destroy the time space continuum again? This is a finely balanced equation. It must be entered in the correct sequence. The _Justice's_ spatial distort engines…"

"Don't you think I know that?! You've only said it a hundred times!"

"A hundred and one."

"You're a bastard, Avon."

"So you frequently tell me. Now, shall we proceed or do your eyes need rest? Of course mine _don't_."

She nearly picked up the machine and chucked it at him. She said with exaggerated pleasantness, "I don't need any rest."

"Where did you make the error?"

Jenna traced back along the convoluted equation. "Uhh…" _Damn!_ "…Mu over Si. I think I put…"

"Start from the beginning."

She groaned in annoyance. "Aren't there some technical manuals you want me to read? That 14 Gig one…hang on a second." Her faced scrunched as a thought occurred to her. "Why am I doing this manually? Don't all computers have verbal interfaces?"

Avon's lips curved unevenly upwards. "I was wondering when you would ask."

Jenna said with outrage, "You mean I've been doing this for nothing?! And don't tell me that all I had to do was ask." Her face was turning redder than the Scansian pink could cover up.

Avon said, "You assume too much and think too little."

"Why you…"

Cally entered with her medical kit. "Is there something the matter?"

Jenna said angrily, "Ask him!"

Avon's head tilted as he followed the sound of Cally's footsteps. "Jenna assumed that all computers have verbal interfaces." He turned his head in Jenna's direction, a faint smirk on his lips. "They don't. This particular piece of apparatus is part of the ship's original design. It was never fitted with a verbal interface."

Jenna let out a breath of frustration. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"You didn't ask."

A sharp retort was about to spill from her lips when Jenna noticed that Cally was looking at her cheek with keen interest. "What are you staring at?"

"That's not a flattering shade."

Jenna's hand touched her face. "It's my normal colour if you didn't notice. Only a bit darker."

Cally rolled her eyes in alien incomprehension. "I've never understood why humans find the aging process such a threat to their self-image."

This was the last straw. "I am not old!"

Indifferent to her concerns, Avon said, "Humans are irrational, Cally."

"But age lines are a natural characteristic of the maturation process. On Auron it was considered a good sign."

Jenna clenched her teeth. If one more person mentioned the word 'age', 'aging' or 'lines' in her presence, she would not be responsible for her actions.

**********

Later, in Sester's cabin…

Whack!

"What was that for?" Sester asked in indignation, his hand rubbing his abused cheek as Jenna glared at him, her hand still upraised.

"What did you just say?" she asked with a strong note of warning in her voice.

"I only said that…" He glanced at her hand apprehensively. "…some wines age better than other ones."

If Jenna's eyes were skewers, Sester would be trussed up for roasting. She said angrily, "Are you trying to insinuate something about _my age_?"

Sester gestured to the bottle on the table. "I was trying to insinuate something about this fine bottle of wine. I brought it from the restaurant we both enjoyed. It's a special vintage. Very hard to obtain unless you have the right connections."

Jenna regarded him warily. "What do you want?"

"Is everyone on this ship paranoid?"

"Only about you."

Sester chuckled as he rubbed his face. "Very true. Now are you…"

The announcing chime sounded. "Who could that be, I wonder?" he asked with undisguised delight.

Jenna said acidly, "An outraged husband? I know your type. You like to play with women you can't have." A sly, evocative, - almost crocodile-like - smile appeared on her face as she slinked up to him, her hips swaying suggestively. "You wouldn't know what to do if a woman _really_ wanted you." She grabbed Sester by the collar and pulled him into a long, deep, searching kiss.

Sester always found it difficult to argue with a beautiful woman, especially one who was kissing him with such vigour. He began to cooperate in the endeavour when Jenna shoved him away, her perfect white teeth flashing mockingly in the room lights. "Well? What do you say to that?"

Sester coughed and readjusted a collar that seemed too tight. The ignored chime sounded again impatiently, twice in quick succession. A broad grin spread across his face. "I say that we need more people for this party."

The way that he quickly reached forward and pressed the control on his desk, made Jenna's eyes narrow in suspicion.

Kirsten's lovely form was framed in the doorway. "What took so…" she took a step in and stopped as she spied Jenna. "What are you doing here?"

Sester's face was composed in a serious expression. "It's my cabin."

She fixed Jenna with a glare, "I'm asking _you_."

After an aggravating day, Jenna had been looking forward to this. Making Sester's life miserable seemed to be the only enjoyment she had on this ship. "He invited me. He wanted to show me something _special_."

A pained look appeared on Sester's face.

Kirsten glared at Sester now. "He said the same thing to _me_." She leaned forward. "What is that?" She pointed to the smudge mark on his lips.

"Oh. It's…" Sester glared at Jenna, an accusation in his eyes.

Before the poor man could say anything, Jenna said with a smirk, "Would you like to tell her, or should I?"

Whack! This time it was Kirsten who slapped him.

"Ow!" Sester held his matching cheeks. "It wasn't even my fault!"

Kirsten asked tartly, "She _made_ you do it?"

He sputtered, "Well, she kissed me and…I didn't want to be impolite…"

"So you let her?" She raised her hand but this time he was ready and caught it.

"You only get one slap per day," he told her.

Jenna said, "He makes an exception for me."

Sester winced at the memory of their conversation in the bushes while they were trying to convince the Federation guards that they were a disgustingly amorous Alpha couple.

Kirsten said angrily, "Then _you_ slap him!"

"My pleasure." Jenna raised her hand.

Sester backed away, his hands covering his sore cheeks. "Now, ladies…" He flashed them a quick, roguish grin. "There's enough of me to go around. I…hope."

Beep. Beep. Beep. They looked at each other, and then around the room, searching for the source of the sound.

Jenna scowled and reached into her trouser pocket, pulling out a small rectangular device with a screen that was blinking red. "It's Avon. I have to go. We'll continue this later."

**********

After the door slid closed, Kirsten asked curiously, "Do you think she suspects you're playing her?"

Sester reached from behind and put his arms around her, pressing their bodies together. "We're _both_ playing her."

"That was fun."

Sester chuckled. "You're quite good. And to answer your question, she does suspect, but as I said before, if you know how to play it correctly, she won't be able to help herself." He rubbed his stinging cheeks. "Though I don't think you need to slap me quite so convincingly."

"You deserved it."

His eyes were drawn to the nape of her neck. Kirsten's hair had parted and tantalizing glimpses of her soft white skin peaked through invitingly. It was one of the most sensitive areas of a woman's body. He bent down, breathing in her sweet scent and blew gently on the exposed flesh.

"Ahhh." A shudder of pleasure passed through Kirsten's body and she arched back. Her eyes closed as he ran light fingers up and down her spine. "What else can you teach me?" she asked.

Sester smiled affectionately and teased, "I do love a woman who only wants me for my mind."

"And who would that be?"

"You're unique, intelligent, beautiful…" He drew her hand into his and gently raised it to his lips, the tip of his tongue just grazing the back of her hand, sending delicious thrills down her spine.

"And flattery will get you nowhere."

"…not to mention frustrating." He turned her hand in his and kissed the centre of her palm, sending more currents of desire coursing through her body.

Reluctantly, Kirsten extricated herself from his embrace and stepped back.

Sester gave an agonized, groaning sigh. His pants were bulging uncomfortably. Kirsten would have to be blind and completely without feeling on the lower part of her body if she hadn't felt his stiff attention pressing up against her. Despite the kisses they had shared, Jenna never had this effect on him. He asked with a resigned voice, "Not today?"

"You know why not."

"Actually, other than your desire to inflict undeserved pain and suffering on me…I haven't a clue."

She suddenly kissed him. A slow, sensual, passionate kiss that made his heart hammer in his chest. Hesitantly, his fingers reached down to the buttons of her blouse and…found they were already undone and she was inviting his touch.

"Oh…" A low guttural, moan escaped his lips. "Kirsten…how…"

"The usual way," she whispered tantalizingly into his ear as he slipped trembling fingers inside her blouse and touched the smooth mound that teased him with its curved…

The announcing chime sounded again.

He growled in naked frustration. "No!"

Kirsten sighed and stepped back, her fingers automatically redoing the buttons.

The aching need in his groin caused Sester's voice to rise in a plea, "Kirsten…"

"You'd better get the door."

Sester groaned in frustrated complaint, "I don't think I can do that." He quickly took a step to hide himself, or at least the lower portion, behind a chair.

He thought it was highly unsympathetic of her to have such a clearly amused look on her face as she pressed the door panel.

Reya stood in the doorway.

Chapter Two

Sester discreetly angled the chair to cover his lower regions as Reya came slowly into the cabin, her eyes ripe with suspicion. It was as much to save himself from embarrassment as to prevent Kirsten from seeing his interests plainly displayed. Of course, she might think that it was because of her and what they had just been about to do, but he didn't want to take the chance.

Trying to sound his usual, amused self, he asked, "To what do I owe this pleasure, Reya?"

"I have a request."

"This must be serious if you're asking _me_ for help."

A frown flitted briefly across Reya's face. "I want you to help Argus when he deals with the rebel leaders."

Sester's eyes widened slightly and then crinkled as an ironic smile curled his lips. "It _is_ serious."

"He will need someone of your abilities."

He studied her face as a touch of envy wormed its way through his mind. Reya's caring and commitment were not for him. It would never be.

He glanced surreptitiously over at Kirsten, wondering if she would ever do the same for him. It was hard to tell. They enjoyed playing together and they were strongly attracted to one another but he did not make the mistake of thinking that it meant something more.

How could it? He never left enough of himself for anyone to form that kind of relationship with him. It wasn't possible - not to mention highly discouraged - for a psychostrategist to become involved with his puppets. Play with them, yes. Have a serious connection with…

Sester gave a mental sigh. He wasn't even sure he was capable of one even if he wanted it. At times, when he sat alone above it all, manipulating the playing pieces into the optimum configuration, he would hold one of the pieces in his mind, staring into its eyes and wishing that it would see him for himself.

In a joking tone, he said, "And how do you expect him to accept my assistance? I don't think tying him down would help."

Kirsten said helpfully, "I still have those restraints…if that would be of any use."

Sester, wondering what she was up to, tried to signal her with his eyes. Now was not the time for games and the last thing he wanted to do was get into trouble with Reya.

Reya eyed her cautiously, "What restraints?"

"The ones that Argus used for him."

"And why do you have them?" asked Reya as some troubling thoughts came to mind. She had tried to warn Kirsten about being involved with Sester. It was becoming obvious that she had not followed her advice.

Kirsten's face was turning a shade of red. "Oh…well…we…"

It was clear she was up to something. Sester said quickly, "She forgot to return them."

Reya said slowly, "I…see…." Her eyes indicated that she was not accepting this lame excuse. She looked him squarely in the eyes. "You're encouraging this?"

"I…I…" This time the sputtering was real. Why was it that he couldn't think of something brilliant to say? His brains seemed to be concentrated in a part of his anatomy not suited for thinking. This was a dangerous situation. "Of _course_ not, Reya," he said with as much earnestness he could muster.

Reya's eyes narrowed and her brows knitted as her eyes spotted the expensive bottle of wine. "What are you trying to do?"

Kirsten said, "He was only trying to treat us to a bottle of nice wine."

Reya glanced sharply at her. "Whose _we_?"

"Well…Jenna was here earlier but she had to leave."

"Jenna _and_ Kirsten?" Reya's eyes were like high-powered scanners trying to bore into Sester's mind.

"It isn't what you think," said Sester.

"Then what is it?" asked Reya without a trace of humour. She suddenly stared hard at his lips and then at Kirsten, who didn't seem to need any beauty aids. In a tone that was undoubtedly questioning his dubious taste, Reya asked, "You kissed _Jenna_?"

Sester belatedly rubbed the back of his hand across his lips. Unfortunately, it only smudged it further and made him look like a lopsided clown. "I didn't! Reya, you've got to believe me."

"Why?" asked Reya, moving from complete lack of humour to some very unfriendly thoughts.

Sester put a hand to his cheek in self-defence. Although from the look on her face, Reya might skip slapping altogether in favour of something much more painful.

What was even worse, there was a disappointed look in her eyes. She said, "I knew that you played games. You've done it often enough with me but I didn't realize that you play with _all_ women."

Sester's heart sank. He looked from Reya to Kirsten like a skittish animal caught in the spotlight. How could he save this situation and not hurt either Reya or Kirsten? His master had warned him to be careful with his games. So far, both women occupied different areas of his attentions. Having them together…

He tried to explain, "It's not the same with the others. You're…" How was he going to get out of this?

Reya asked dryly, "Are you talking to me, to Kirsten or both of us?"

"I want to know that too," said Kirsten.

Sester suppressed a smile as he realized what she was doing. She was deliberately trying to pin him down in an awkward situation of his own making.

_And_ he still couldn't step away from the protective covering of the chair. With both women here in close proximity, pushing him, their eyes flashing with anger and intensity, it was exquisitely painful and wonderful at the same time and his body was responding in disturbingly primal ways.

This was a challenge worthy of his skills.

"You're both wonderful," he began with just the right touch of raw honesty, helped by the fact that it was how he felt.

As if on cue, Reya and Kirsten crossed their arms over their chests. "Yes?" Reya's manner oozed cynicism.

"Honestly." Normally, Sester would avoid beginning a sentence with that word. It usually gave the impression that the opposite was about to come out of someone's mouth.

"You both know how I feel. And you both know what I am. I can't help it. I…" His throat caught in the midst of emotion and calculation. "…never mean any harm. It's…"

His eyes lowered as thoughts and feelings churned inside him. He was skirting a fine line, the one that his master had drawn for him many years ago. The humanity he had been allowed to harbour, usually deeply hidden away from the others, and the role that defined who he was to the world.

"…all a game to me. But…" He lifted vulnerable and earnest eyes to face them. "…you're both important to me. In different ways. If my games hurt you…I'm sorry. It's the way I relate to people. I…don't know any other way. I would like to say that I could change but I would be lying. I couldn't do that to either one of you."

There was a moment of pregnant silence.

Kirsten half-turned in Reya's direction. "Do you believe him? You've known him longer than I have."

"I don't think anyone truly knows him."

"Then you don't believe what he said?"

"I would like to." Reya paused for a moment, her eyes seeking out the truth from a man to whom honesty was only part of the game. "I don't think we will ever know for certain. He's right, life is a game to him. But…" Her eyes were heavy with thought as she contemplated this complex and mercurial man and her feelings for him. "…I think that his truth is in how he plays the game. I know he would never knowingly try to hurt me or lie to me. Those are rules he has set for himself, for people who are important to him. They apply to you now as well."

Kirsten bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Now I know why he's drawn to you. I didn't think you understood, but you do."

Reya looked sharply at her, suddenly realizing what Kirsten had just done. This was no innocent girl. She was a formidable woman in her own right. Their assessment of her abilities for the Challenges was not in error. "You are well matched. To him."

"I'm glad you see that."

"You know that I'm not a threat to you?"

Kirsten nodded. "I've always known, but I was curious."

"My warning still stands. Be careful with him."

"Don't worry. He will have more than his hands full with me."

Sester had wisely stepped back from this conversation, allowing the seeds he had planted to work and blossom. Now, what he wanted to achieve had been accomplished. The atmosphere had changed.

A slight grin lifted the corner of his lips. "Now that neither one of you wants to kill me…or slap me…"

Kirsten said, "And how do you know that?"

The grin widened and Sester's eyes twinkled like the rogue he relished being. "Because you both love me?"

Reya rolled her eyes. "You're incorrigible and you've just managed to squirm out of trouble."

This statement was greeted with a chuckle. In a voice like rough silk, and with disarming warmth, he said, "I'm very good, aren't I?"

"Very good at being very bad," said Reya. "Are you going to help Argus?"

He flashed her a mischievous grin. "I would love to."

"Why do I have the feeling I'm going to regret this?"

Placing his hand to his chest in a gesture of sincerity, Sester said, "I'm going to try to help him. I promise."

As she moved to leave, Reya looked back at Kirsten. "Keep those restraints handy. You might need them."

Kirsten grinned. "Don't worry. They're never far away."

Sester hid his smile in a discreet cough.

**********

"This is completely unnecessary," growled Avon as Cally, with a firm grip on his arm, led him to the bio-bed and helped him to climb on. "I am _not_ an invalid."

With great patience, Cally said, "Avon…"

Sullenly crossing his arms over his chest and sitting on the bed rather than lying down, he said, "Alright, I _am_ an invalid. But I am _not_…"

"I could let you work yourself into a state of collapse. But then we'd have to send someone to look for you."

"I do not plan to collapse."

"Yes…and what happens when you do?"

"I have Jenna."

At that moment Jenna waltzed in, a none-too-pleased look on her face. "You rang?"

"It was me," said Cally.

Jenna said, "And what do _you_ want?"

"Avon, I'm going to leave Jenna here. I have a shift on the flight deck and the doctors are currently busy."

Avon said indignantly, "I do not require _watching_."

Jenna grumbled, "What am I now? A babysitter?"

Sliding off the bed, Avon said, "I'm leaving."

Oomph. He promptly banged into a cabinet that had been moved while he was working in his lab. Cally led the moderately stunned man back onto the bed.

"Avon, please. I know you think you're too busy to rest, but you have to. The poison is still affecting you even though it's no longer fatal." She felt his damp forehead. "Your body temperature is elevated because your body is actively fighting the effects. And you insist on a lower dosage than your system can tolerate. I know you're feeling pain even if you won't admit it."

Suddenly feeling drained of energy, Avon leaned back, his face drawn and pale. "I cannot concentrate with a higher dosage."

She put her hand on his with gentle understanding. "I know. That's why I've haven't fought you on this. But you need to allow your body time to recover. And…" Cally looked over to Jenna. "This is the other reason why I called for you. You understand the effects of Shade. You saw what it did to Rane."

Jenna grimaced at the uncomfortable memory. For a moment, the two men were superimposed in her mind. She felt empathy as well as guilt. Her voice was subdued. "Yes. I know what you want."

She looked down at the obstinate man and for the first time saw the deep lines of stress that were etched on his face, the tightness to his jaw showing the pain he was in and the unhealthy pallor that indicated that this was not a well man. Jenna had never noticed before. Perhaps she didn't want to.

She may have felt guilty at what she had done to him, but it didn't mean that she liked or trusted him. His coldness, his arrogance, his independence and the way his manner pushed people away, had made it easy for her to be blind to him as a human being.

In a voice that was no longer tinged with irritation or antagonism, Jenna said, "Avon."

When he turned his head in her direction, she continued, "The effects will only get worse. That's how Shade works and…in the poison form, its accelerated. It may be slowed down because of your temporary antidote, but…"

Avon's strained voice said impassively, "It's only temporary."

"Yes. I'm…" She thought it would be a hard thing to keep saying, considering what he had been putting her through the last few days. But it seemed petty now. Maybe he had no ulterior motive in making those demands of her. She was the cause of many of his current problems. "I'm sorry. Rane…" A stab of pain always accompanied the mention of her old friend's name. "…was like you. He wouldn't take a full dose either. He wanted to be able to function. He got progressively worse and in the end…I had no choice."

Avon asked harshly, "You forced it on him?"

Jenna's voice was a whisper of guilt. "I had to. He was suffering. In pain."

Cally had very little sympathy for her feelings of remorse. "He almost died."

"I…know. It was my fault." Jenna's shoulders slumped in. "I never thanked you for saving his life, Avon. I…owe you."

"Don't worry, I'll remind you," said Avon.

"Look, I'm trying to…never mind. The antidote you found doesn't remove the effects of Shade. And if it works the same as before, taking a partial dose only makes it worse."

This gave Cally an idea. "Do you think that we can slow the speed of deterioration by using a full dose?"

Avon had an instant reaction "No."

Placing her hand on his arm again, she said, "Avon, it would only be the occasional dose."

"I _need_ to think."

"Avon, you're not being rational. If Jenna is right, it will get to the point where we will no longer have a choice. This way, it will give you more time to find a permanent solution."

Avon said in a dead tone, "No choice."

Lifting his hand up gently, she held it in both hands. She could feel the anguish that gripped him. After all this time, the loss of choice and freedom, the feeling that he did not have control over his own life, was a crushing blow. "It is best if we start as soon as possible."

HIs head was faced in her direction and she could see that he wished he could see her face. Using the ability that they had both discovered, she formed the image he needed and projected it into his mind.

HIs breath caught momentarily as he 'saw' her. "Will you stay…here?"

"I wish I could…" Cally knew that his request was born out of a need that was still hard for him to express. Avon saw it as a weakness, and even more so now. Any reduction in his mental capacity would be a terrifying experience for a man to whom the mind was his most important asset. It defined who he was. She could not leave him to face it alone. There was a hard set on her face. "I will tell Argus that I need to change shifts."

Avon squeezed her hand slightly in silent thanks.

Jenna stood up. "I will tell Argus. You stay with Avon."

"Thank you," said Cally absently. They barely noticed when Jenna left.

**********

Jenna hesitated on the top step leading down to the flight deck. She missed being here. Since being allowed back on the ship, she had only been required to be on the flight deck once. She wasn't even sure if she was welcome.

Argus was alone, at his station, his head bent over the panel and his fingers busy at the controls. He straightened up and turned to look at her. "Jenna."

"I have a message from Cally. An emergency came up with Avon and she can't take her shift."

His face was immediately concerned. "Is he alright?"

"He'll…" Jenna knew that saying that Avon would be fine would be far from the truth. "…The addiction has become worse. He needs to take a full dose of the drug."

Argus grimaced. "He's not going to like that."

"That's why Cally needs to stay with him."

"Thank you for telling me. I will take care of Cally's shift." He turned back to his panel.

Jenna stood watching his back. They used to be friends once, working together for a common goal. He used to trust her. She even used to have an interest in him until Reya came along. Now she doubted he would give her the time of day if she asked.

Sensing that she hadn't left, Argus turned around and asked, "Was there anything else?"

"I…uh…" Jenna wanted to say more but after what happened in the medical unit, she wasn't prepared for another load of guilt. "…nothing. I'll go." She turned and left.

**********

Argus sighed as she disappeared from view. It would take a long time for Jenna to feel comfortable on this ship again. And longer for the others to feel they could trust her. Checking that the corridor was clear of people, he said, "Zen, inform me if you detect anyone approaching the flight deck until further notice."

"Confirmed."

"Use my personal contact protocol. D18."

Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, trying to prepare himself for a meeting he had been avoiding.

After a few minutes, Zen said, "Communication channel established."

"Put it on the main viewscreen."

"Confirmed."

The Federation President was in full form. Splendid in a blood red dress with a high collar, lips darker as if she were a vampire who not wiped her last victim from her lips. She assumed the tone of a superior officer. "Commander, I do not find it amusing to have my orders ignored."

Argus snarled sarcastically, "I didn't know you were giving orders."

"You agreed to contact me once a week."

"I've been busy."

The screen flared. Argus put his hand up to shield his eyes. He always forgot to ask Avon to take a look at this. Not that he could now. Maybe one of the engineers?

Servalan said with cool displeasure, "That is not a suitable excuse."

"I don't care if you find it suitable or not, Servalan. I told you that I would contact you in my own time. Now do you have an assignment for me?"

The screen flared again and this time there was pain in his head.

Servalan was looking at him curiously. "I do." She reached forward to the control panel in front of her. "I am sending you the details now under the security protocol."

Argus looked down at this own panel. "I have it." He scrolled through the information quickly, trying not to frown. If Servalan's information was correct, the target was a particularly nasty individual, one he wouldn't mind removing from the land of the living. "When do you want this done?"

"I'm not in a hurry. Anytime in the next two months is fine."

"I will tell you when it's done."

"I have given you the code name, Ares, when you make contact with my agent."

"I am not one of your lackeys, Servalan. I don't need a code name."

"Would you prefer that I give them your real name?"

This woman always set him on edge. He scowled at her with annoyance. "Use the code name."

"I thought you might say that," Servalan said with a condescending smile.

"Is there anything else?" he asked, impatient to end this conversation as soon as possible.

"Not quite." She watched him intently. The screen flared again.

Argus put his hand to his head as another stab of pain pierced his brain.

Servalan asked circumspectly, "Is there something the matter?"

When the pain cleared, a fog he didn't realize had been clouding his mind, lifted and he _remembered_. His voice was a choked, "Servalan."

"Welcome back, Commander."

"Stop playing with my mind!" His fists clenched in anguish.

"You make it necessary."

"Leave me alone!" he roared. "I am not…"

"But you are, Commander. You belong to us. Or rather, to me now."

After finding out how they had used Blake, Argus had a sick feeling. "Have I…always been…"

"You are afraid that you've been used against the alliance in the same way Blake was?"

He wasn't confident that she would tell him the truth but he had to ask the question. "Was I?"

A slim smile appeared on her lips but her eyes continued to be cold and superior. "You can rest assured that we do not have that kind of control. Your conditioning was specialized in a different area. Besides, you know when we regained control of your mind."

Argus wanted to reach through the screen and do something very nasty to this woman. He remembered the days on the ship alone while they were over Papos. The long sessions of aggravating conversations with this woman and her underlings. He had not known the true purpose of the meetings until it was too late. They were reactivating the latent conditioning from his former days as a Federation officer. A low, angry growl formed in his throat. "What do you want from me, Servalan?"

"I want what I have always wanted from you. Your purpose is to protect my most valuable asset, Avon."

"Avon?" his eyes narrowed. "We agreed that you would leave him alone as long as I perform certain tasks for you."

"That was our agreement and it still is. But you have been lax in your duties. You let Avon be hurt. I can't allow that."

Argus hated this woman. She was touching on an area that had made him angry with himself. He had failed Avon. What happened to him was as much his fault as it was Jenna's. "It was my responsibility."

"Yes, it was. If you were still a Federation officer, I would be sending you to the retraining facilities." She smiled, an expression that sent chills down Argus's spine. "But I have a much better option."

The screen flared again and she said, "Have fun, Commander."

"No!" Argus reached for her as the mind blocks fell back into place.

Servalan waited as the emotions of anguish on his face were replaced by the cold, professional soldier again. "Contact me again in three days."

"You said I have two months to complete this assignment."

"You do but I guarantee that you _will_ want to contact me in three days."

"What are you playing at, Servalan?"

"Contact me in three days."

The screen went black and returned to the star field.

Argus stared at it, wondering what she was up to and knowing it couldn't be anything good.

**********

Servalan switched off her monitor screen, a pleased smile on her lips. One of her black-hooded guards put down a tray in front of her. The heady aroma of the piping hot coffee filled her senses with warm memories. She picked up the cup and leaned back as she regarded her faceless minion. "Do you know the man who was on the screen?"

T-3 straightened up and answered obediently, "No, Madame President."

"No recollection at all?"

"I have no memories of the man."

"Pity."

"Would you like anything else?"

"You may go," she waved him away dismissively. As she watched his retreating back, Servalan made a mental note.

Chapter Three

"Avon, have you…" A question was on Vila's lips the moment he entered the medical bay. "Oh, hello, Cally," he said as he spotted her holding Avon's hand in an intimate gesture. "I should come back later."

Cally motioned him to enter. "Come in."

Vila entered on tiptoe, not wanting to disturb whatever it was they were doing. It was then that he noticed the odd look on Avon's face, completely relaxed, like someone who had no worries in life because he didn't have the mind to understand. "Is he…alright?"

Giving a sigh, Cally's eyes rested on the highly drugged man. She imagined that 'alright' was a word that Avon would prefer never to hear again. It had been a disturbing experience as Avon had slipped into an almost catatonic state. He had held onto her, squeezing increasingly tighter, keeping his face passive and refusing to voice his fears but unable to hide them from her. It was as if her hand was a lifeline and he had to hold on or be lost. She had promised that she would be here when he woke up. "He's taken a full dose of Shade."

Vila's mouth opened in, "Oh. Then he's dead to the world."

"Something like that. Is there something you wanted?"

"No…it can wait. I mean, it's not _important_."

"What is it, Vila?"

"Have you seen Argus lately?"

"No. I've been in here."

"Oh… then you wouldn't have seen him…"

Cally wished Vila would get to the point. "What is it, Vila?"

"He growled at me."

"He does that at times when he's angry or frustrated."

"This one was different. He _growled_ at me and then he ran off. Made my hair stand on end. I was only asking if he wanted to see the new act Corinne and I came up with."

"Perhaps he was irritated about something."

"I thought he was going to tear my head off."

"You must be exaggerating."

"You wouldn't say that if you were there." Vila shuddered at the memory.

"Why don't you ask Reya if there's something wrong?"

"That's a good idea. I'll just go and do that."

Cally shook her head in amusement as Vila went off in search of the Commander.

**********

In a flurry of precision kicks and punches, Argus demolished the training dummy. It wasn't a display of skill or a practice of technique and it certainly wasn't for fitness reasons. It was outright aggression visited on a poor defenceless inanimate object, pounding it into submission and an early death. The unfortunate thing was still flickering and suffering a slow demise as its circuits registered that it was in a thousand unconnected pieces.

Argus was still bursting with energy that he couldn't seem to expend fast enough. He had to; he knew he was dangerous this way. The memories of what he had done to Sester and almost to Reya were all too disturbing reminders.

Heat rose from his body as if he were burning inside. His fists and jaw clenched, trying to contain the boiling fires. An angry growl came out in a roar of agony as he smashed his hand into the bulkhead.

Muscles stood out in tight knots, sculptured power in its rawest form. No longer graceful, acrobatic motions; it was a predatory animal, skilled to the hunt. Beautiful in its deadliness. Its eyes blazing with contained fury and the need to kill and destroy. Lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing some teeth that seemed sharper in the light.

He was slipping into something that he dared not name; a creature that had always frightened him. One that he hid from; the darkness inside. He did not want to hurt anyone, but the beast was created to hunt and destroy enemies. It was in its nature.

Argus placed both fists against the wall, concentrating, bringing his mind to bear, and forcing the beast to retreat.

_No. I. Will. Not…let…it…win!_

The one called Jack, the part of him that he had given name to - the boy who did not want to kill - fought against himself.

The fires slowly diminished as he wrestled back control, but the seething flames licked his soul, threatening to erupt if he had a lapse in concentration.

"Sir?"

At the sound of the human voice, Argus whirled to face him. For a moment, the dying embers of fury nearly made Lt. Dain take a step back.

"Sir? What happened?" Dain, asked as he skirted the hapless training dummy. A brave soldier, intent on caring for one of his own, not knowing that he was in the sights of a creature that had moments ago, needed to taste blood.

Argus ordered his body to relax and his fists to open. In a hoarse voice that barely seemed to remember how to speak, he said, "Accident."

Dain, ready for exercise in navy blue shorts and black sleeveless shirt that accentuated his dark, brown eyes, surveyed the detritus of destruction and said, "I've never seen a training dummy malfunction like this before. It looks like it exploded." His thigh muscles stood out in relief as he knelt down on one knee and poked at the wreckage. "You're lucky you weren't hurt, sir."

It was still hard for Argus's brain to find words to speak and he only managed a gruff, "Yes."

Dain crossed over to the comm unit on the wall and sent for one of the automated cleaning units.

**********

Vila found Reya in the weapons range, teaching Corinne and Kirsten the finer points of target shooting. He watched admiringly from the doorway, appreciating the lines of their profiles as they lay face down on the ground. Their elbows were propped up in classic sniper position, the rifles snugly against their shoulders and heads tilted to sight along the scope.

A slight squeeze and death shot out in invisible rays, unseen until the targets at the far end fluttered as they were hit.

Reya squinted and leaned forward. She said blankly, "You hit it."

Kirsten lifted her head up. "But?"

"Too wide a spread."

Corinne popped her head up too. "But we hit the targets."

"That's not the point. I know you can both hit it. If you weren't able to do at least that, I would not be giving you advanced lessons."

Both women sat up and stretched aching muscles that had been in one position too long.

Eying them critically, Reya said decisively, "You need conditioning."

"Conditioning?" Kirsten asked, not understanding how this could have anything to do with shooting more accurately.

Reya's lips pursed in thought, "Yes…a tougher physical regimen to increase your metabolic efficiency. Hand-eye coordination exercises. You need better awareness of the movements of your own body. I will draw up a schedule. You will begin tomorrow."

Laying down her rifle, Kirsten got up and argued, "Now, wait a minute. I thought the point was to hit the targets. We did, didn't we?"

Corinne, still sitting down, was trying to see if she had missed any of her shots. "It looks like we did."

Vila grinned. This was the part that had floored him when the Commander had tried to assess whom of the soldiers and the crew had the ability to be trained as sharpshooters.

Activating the control panel in front of her, Reya brought the targets closer and indicated with a laser pointer. "The goal is to hit the target marks on the scoring area. These four red circles." She pointed to the four tiny dots with the green beam. "And do it in a tight cluster pattern."

Kirsten looked incredulous. "But we can't even _see_ them."

"You can with the scope."

Rubbing her eyes and then looking down at the scope, Corinne said, "I thought…they were specks on the scope."

"In the limited space of the cargo hold, I've had to scale down the targets in order to approximate real distances."

"Then that's not fair," complained Kirsten.

"Mathematically, they are to scale," said Reya. "Whether you can hit accurately at this level of skill, will determine if you miss your intended target or possibly hit one of your own people."

"You're asking us to do the impossible," said Kirsten. "I don't believe anyone can do it."

Corinne raised her hand, "Can we see an example?"

Reya had noticed when Vila came in but didn't acknowledge this until now because she knew this would interrupt the focus of her two charges. There was a barely perceptible smile on her lips as she glanced briefly in Vila's direction. He smiled back and nodded.

Lifting the rifle from Corinne's hands and turning to face her left shoulder to the target, Reya smoothly placed the butt firmly against her shoulders. She was like an immovable statue as she stood contemplating the target. Then with hardly a suggestion of movement, the target was hit in rapid succession, eight times without a breath in between. When it was over, she stood still, like the statue again and then the rifle lowered.

Kirsten went to press the controls to bring the target forward.

Mouths dropped open and eyes widened in awe. Corinne said with amazement, "That's…that's…amazing."

Kirsten stared at Reya with increased respect. "That's not possible…but I see it."

Each target mark had been hit two twice, almost dead centre.

Reya said, as if it were of little note, "This is the job of a sharp-shooter. Nothing amazing to it."

Vila came forward with a broad smile. "And if you believe that, I have some property on an ice planet just waiting…"

Sighing, Reya asked her charges, "Are you interested in the training?"

Corinne said enthusiastically, "I'd love to be able to do that! Vila…maybe we can include it in our act?"

Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, Vila said, "That's an idea. I can think of…"

Reya sighed again in exaggerated patience at the idea that this useful and deadly skill would be used for entertainment purposes. "Vila, did you come for something?"

"Oh…yes." Suddenly he wasn't sure it was the right time. "Well…"

"Out with it, Vila."

"I ran into Argus earlier and…" It seemed silly now. "…he…growled at me. I mean, it sounded…"

"You mean that it alarmed you? It wasn't his normal behaviour?" asked Reya, instantly alarmed.

"Well…yes." He hoped that it was something or this would be embarrassing.

"Do you know where he is now?"

"He ran off to the gym."

There was tense concern on Reya's normally composed face. "Lessons are over today. I will see both of you in the gym tomorrow. 0800." She rushed out.

Vila spotted the wall chronometer, "I have to get going too. My shift today."

**********

Reya arrived at the gym only to find Lt. Dain and several of the soldiers being very industrious. They told her that Argus had gone back to his cabin for a shower.

**********

Corinne stayed in the weapons range in order to practice more.

**********

Argus set the water temperature controls in the shower to just short of frozen and turned it on.

**********

Jenna decided to make a visit to Sester's cabin. There were some issues to be resolved _and_ she was in the mood for making someone's life miserable.

She rounded the corner and nearly ran into Kirsten.

There was a hard look on the young woman's face. "We finished the wine. There isn't any more."

"I'm not here for wine."

"Well, he's finished with you too."

"We'll see about that," said Jenna as she reached for the door panel.

**********

Cally waited until Avon settled into a restful sleep before going to see the doctors about what could be done about his eyes.

**********

After doing the regular system's checks, Vila settled on the couch and flipped through a deck of cards, trying not to fall asleep. Stifling a yawn, he glanced over at the viewscreen and bolted up in alarm. "What is that?"

Every corner of the ship was flooded with intense white light that seemed to bore through unprotected eyes straight through to the brain. Anyone who had eyes to see immediately collapsed.

Chapter Four

_There must be an explanation._

Avon concentrated a still sluggish mind. *_ Cally? _*

The darkness remained silent.

He didn't know who was in attendance but it didn't matter, he needed information. "Doctor?"

No competent medical voices answered back.

"Is anyone in the room?"

It was as if everyone had suddenly become mute. Cocking his head, Avon listened intently.

No faint sounds of aspiration. No bodies sliding in sheets. No shuffle of footwear. No click of medical instruments. The room seemed empty.

Was he still unconscious? A blind man dreaming…of being a blind man in an empty room? Had the drug taken away his imagination as well as his mind's ability to think? An involuntary shudder passed through him as Avon remembered the experience of his mind slipping away, being reduced to little more than a biological life-support system for his body. If it had not been for Cally's reassuring presence in his mind…

Unbidden fear crept in like an unwelcome guest.

There had to be a reason why Cally had not kept her promise to him. She had pledged to be here when he woke, to provide a point of reference for his drug-dulled mind.

The fact was, she was not here.

**********

Argus huddled naked and shivering in the corner of the shower room; his arms wrapped tightly, almost desperately around his chest. His muscles bunched in hard-corded knots as he fought the beast that demanded to be set free. Pained whimpers emanated from his throat, like a wounded animal in a losing battle.

Inside, the beast struggled to be free. It wanted to kill and destroy; it had been deprived too long of its pleasures.

It could not be let out. It would destroy everyone. He let out a deep-chested, howl of misery.

Fear tasted like blood.

His fear.

_His blood_.

The animal pulled back snarling lips and stood up, shaking the water from its damp, cold body, sending droplets flying in all directions. It reached for a dark grey towel and it tied firmly around its waist.

It was finally free.

**********

_Run! Vila, Run! _The expression from a children's story echoed inside Vila's head as the flotilla of angry ships came closer. Small specks becoming large moving dots of menace. His mouth was as dry as the desert sands and it hurt to swallow.

He'd only fallen asleep for a few minutes. It wasn't his fault.

They had came out of nowhere. Appearing on the screen like a nightmare suddenly coming into focus. He was alone on the flight deck. The comms didn't seem to be working. Where was everyone?

A half-recalled memory made him turn his head. "Jenna, let's run for it." Jenna was not there.

Vila sought out the man at the tactical station. "For pity's sake Avon, get this ship moving while we still have a chance!" But Avon was not there.

There was no one here, except him. No one to listen to his panicked suggestions. No one else to make the decisions. Who the hell would leave him all alone with no one else in charge?

He knew he should do something but his mind was a blank.

_Run! Vila, Run! _He could taste the fear in his mouth like a bitter potion that would not go down his throat. His knees were shaking so hard, they were knocking against each other.

**********

It was born to kill. It wanted to kill. It needed to rend the flesh from the bones of its enemies, to sink its fangs into unprotected throats and taste the fresh nectar of blood gushing out. Its nose twitched in anticipation of the sharp metallic scent of death.

It reached for the blade that was never far from its owner. He looked down at it in satisfaction. It was an extension of himself.

Instinct told it to arm itself with weapons that were more lethal. It had been civilized that way. A weaponized animal, trained in the armaments of war. They were its old friends.

He stalked the corridors, looking for the armoury.

**********

Vila took in a shuddered breath. He didn't know how to be brave, he only knew how to be himself.

That self felt small and very afraid.

Where were the big people to take care of him? The ones he needed to tell him what to do, make all the decisions and take responsibility? Ever since he lost his mother and found himself alone in a world that didn't care one jot about him, he had been afraid.

Avon must have been wrong. Or Servalan was lying to him. Wouldn't put it past that snake of a woman. The Federation didn't condition him to be afraid and easily led. This was who he was.

"Information. Incoming message."

Vila fled. He ran from the voice of the computer that wanted him to do something, to make a decision that would affect all of their lives. He wasn't meant to do this, he couldn't do this.

**********

The smooth metallic walls were cold to the touch as Avon felt along them, a blind man moving through the ship, trying to find someone who could give him answers.

But so far, there was no one.

He was utterly and completely alone, just as he had always wanted. A paradise without people. Or a hell where screams made no noise because there was no one there to hear them.

*_ Cally. _*

Empty silence.

Think. Concentrate. No time for the weaknesses that others consider a necessary part of human existence.

Visualize. The layout of the ship was firmly placed in his mind. He knew every conduit, junction, control and bypass. What he didn't have were precise measurements that told him how many steps to take to the flight deck. An oversight he would rectify the moment he sorted out this problem.

He had to get to Zen. The dependable computer would have the information he required, unless it followed the obscure whims of its creators and refused to cooperate.

One of these days, he would have to reprogram that machine but for now, it was his only hope.

Fear lurked like a thief, just outside the window of his conscious mind, reminding him that he was more human than not. The remembered voice of Cally called to him; the one person he had chosen to trust even more than any computer.

He had to find out what happened to her and the rest of the crew.

There were other nagging thoughts.

Did they leave him? Abandoning him in their haste to escape some nameless horror? Paranoia ate away his confidence; a lifetime of betrayals whispering bitter nothings in his ear. Reason and sentiment wrestled for dominance in his mind, like ancient enemies.

_No! Not Cally. Not Argus_. They would stay to the death rather than abandon him; accompanying him into whatever void awaited them all.

_Loyal_, Avon's lips lifted in the beginnings of a smile, _but not very smart_. For them, the irrational _was_ the logical option. Theirs was a choice that followed a predictable pattern. One that he could trust.

There was serious danger if they could be ripped from his side. They would not have done it willingly. Avon quickened his pace, stumbling as he went. It was a long way to the flight deck.

**********

The animal crouched on its haunches, ears straining, nose lifted to the recycled air. There were people onboard. Humans. Prey. A wolfish grin curled his lips as he stood up. The gun felt good in its hands as energy surged through his body. Exultation roared in his ears. It was time to hunt.

The hungry beast padded off on noiseless feet.

**********

Vila ran, faster than he thought his feet could carry him. _Where is everyone?_

**********

A prey went past, unaware that it was being stalked. The creature crouched and its haunches bunched, ready to pounce with a sharp, unerring burst of its weapon. It sniffed the air, mouth open to taste the fear that rolled like waves from its target.

It gathered its might and…almost fell over as the other presence inside it stiffened the leg muscles unexpectedly with a shout of, _No!_

The creature yelped in startled complaint. The other wanted to spoil its fun. It could feel it trying to regain control. The other did want it to kill, it was struggling…strong, like itself.

Lips peeled back as a low growl rumbled from deep in its chest. It refused to give up its hard fought freedom. Its hand tightened around the grip and took a step after the prey.

_No! _The leg muscles stiffened unnaturally and the creature fell to its knees. Its shoulders hunched up and it gave a deep bass howl of anger. It could feel the other was trying to do something it did not understand. The struggling was different.

_No! Don't attack! It's a friend._

The creature shook its head with a modulated growl of incomprehension. It did not understand the word.

_It's…part of your pack._

The creature's head tilted and it gave a short bark. Pack it understood.

_Vila is one of your pack._

The creature gave a half-howl of complaint and puffed its chest out. The Vila-human smelled of fear. It did not have such members in its pack.

_You're wrong. Smell again._

The creature gave a low grumble of protest, it didn't know why it was listening to the other's voice but it sniffed tentatively. _Fear._ It growled. But something else. The creature's nose twitched. The scent…the Vila-human was fighting the fear. It was trying to be brave and it was looking…for its leader. The creature gave an accepting half-growl. It would accept the Vila-human as part of its pack. But it would not have it running around scared. It was not seemly.

The creature huffed. It was the pack leader. The pack should not be afraid when it was around. It would protect and fight for the pack.

_Good. Now go and see what's wrong._

It gave a guttural growl and rocked its head. It was the Alpha. No one gave it orders.

_We both are. We don't have time for this, Vila's in trouble. The pack is in trouble. We need to find out what's wrong_.

The creature gave an exhaled huff and went after Vila. It knew its responsibilities as pack leader; it didn't need to be told.

**********

The beast was swift and caught up to the fleeing Vila-human. It barked out a command for it to stop. Not surprisingly enough, when faced with a wild animal hot on his heels, Vila ran even faster. He dared not look back in case it was gaining ground or to stop and think why there would be a creature onboard in the first place.

The beast growled in annoyance. How did it end up with a pack member this dense? Even if the Vila-human did not understand the language, one did not present your back to an attacker unless you wanted to die faster. Did it not understand that? The beast shook its head; it would have to do some training of the Vila-human before it could function as a useful member of its pack.

It needed the other's voice, but it could not allow it control. The beast opened its mouth and composed its tongue, lips and teeth in the appropriate shape for human communications. "Vi-la."

The Vila-human ground to a halt.

Good. It would not have to overrun it and yank it to a stop by the scruff of its neck.

Vila turned around fearfully, like a nervous animal ready to bolt. "Argus?" His eyes bulged at the nearly nude man who for some reason seemed larger than life and was staring at him with a wolf-like expression. Ready to eat him? "Why…are you dressed…or not dressed…like that?"

"Vi-la." The pack leader had more pressing matters than to answer such frivolous questions. It asked, "Why…are…you…run-ning?"

"Eh?" The creature saw that Vila was relaxing though there was still a nervous look in his eyes and also a look of confusion.

Did the Vila-human not understand its own speech?

_You're stuttering. You need to give me more control._

A low negative growl rumbled in its chest.

_At least let me speak to Vila. He's supposed to be on flight deck duty. Our territory might be in danger._

The creature was immediately alarmed. Enemies in its territory was unacceptable. It opened its mouth to speak again.

"Vila, what's…happened? Why aren't you…on the flight deck?"

Vila's eyes lowered. "There's a fleet out there. It's coming this way. I didn't know what to do."

Danger! Enemies!

Ready power filled the creature's body, its mind and senses clear and alert. The pack needed to be protected. Enemies were waiting to be vanquished. The two acted as one as a fierce growl erupted from its lips and the Argus-Wolf raced towards the flight deck.

Chapter Five

Jenna woke up in a tangle of arms and legs. For a moment, she was confused. There were several too many.

Was it a nightmare? Had she been discarded as too old? In a pile of body parts?

A shudder of disgust overtook her and her queasy stomach threatened to lose its contents.

Groan.

That wasn't her. It was then that she saw Kirsten's face nearby. From this proximity, she could personally appreciate the smooth beauty of young, unblemished skin and the complete lack of makeup.

It was hideous.

She pushed Kirsten away from her with an unhappy frown and a hard shove. The exhibitionist. Parading around with no beauty aids just to show off.

_I'm not that old. _She felt her face to reassure herself that there were only a few telltale lines. One. Two. Three. Four. _What? _Five. Six. S…she dropped her hands from a face that had betrayed her and shuffled back in horror.

Kirsten groaned again and stirred. Her eyes opened and she looked up in confusion when she registered where she was. She spotted Jenna.

The last thing she remembered…they had been about to enter Sester's cabin. Or rather, Jenna had been attempting to and she… "Did we have a fight?"

The words registered through the shock of Jenna's descent into a merciless world where beauty was a tyrant.

"Did we…" Jenna looked around in confusion. They were both on the ground, in front of Sester's cabin. They must have been fighting…and knocked each other out? It didn't seem possible and she didn't feel sore anywhere…but… The last thing she remembered was reaching for the door panel and Kirsten about to stop her.

The two women got up slowly, keeping their eyes warily on each other.

Kirsten glanced at the closed door. Beyond it was a man that she had great interest in. He was fun, exciting and she loved teasing him. Many feelings between them had not yet been explored but they were in no hurry.

There was always another emotion, a niggling voice, at the back of her mind, one which was loud and clear now. It was giving her troubling thoughts and filling her with fear.

She had a secret fear about her attraction to Sester. Was it because they were naturally drawn to each other? Or was there another, desperate reason?

_What if my father was right? How could I possibly think that I can compete with a man? Sester must consider me a fool. I'm no match for him. I'm just fooling myself. _

_I'm not worth anything. I can't survive on my own. What if these people find out? Will they throw me off the ship? I don't have any use here. I don't have a role. _

_Father said that without a man, a woman is nothing._

The only thing Kirsten knew was that she needed Sester and no one was going to take him away from her_._

Jenna stared hard at the door. Sester was an Alpha like her. Rich, powerful, respected, even feared, and he had shown clear interest in her.

She had fought most of her life to be an independent woman. With her own ship and her own crew.

Now, she was nothing and she had nothing. No more money. Every credit had been surrendered to repay the people of Athol.

No more friends. Rane had turned his back on her and she didn't blame him.

Those in the rebellion, Avalon and the others treated her as a pariah.

She was barely tolerated on the _Justice_ and she doubted if she would survive long on her own. Servalan would not forgive her for damaging her precious asset.

Jenna felt old and obsolete on a ship of young upstarts. She could imagine the whispers behind her back.

The only one who seemed to appreciate her for herself was Sester. He was a psychostrategist. They were universally feared and respected. Very few could match their intelligence. To have someone like him interested in her would prove that she wasn't past her prime.

They were very much alike, outsiders on the ship, barely tolerated. He was what she needed. The two of them belonged together. She reached for the panel.

"No!" Kirsten grabbed at her hand. "He's mine!"

"No, he's mine!"

The two women began wrestling as the door opened.

**********

"Kirsten, Jenna…" Sester backed away from the two advancing women. There was a ravenous look in their eyes that did not seem very healthy for him. They were wild-eyed and dishevelled and his room didn't look big enough for both of them.

Fear gripped his heart and constricted his throat.

His mind was not analyzing, not making any suggestions, could not see anything beyond what his eyes told him. His hands went to his head, as if to confirm that it was still attached to the rest of him.

It was there physically, but everything of importance was…gone.

All of it vanished. The knowledge and skills of the puppeteer, his superior mind, that which set him apart…he was ordinary. His master would not be pleased. The Guildmaster would throw him away as he did with others.

Two beautiful and determined women and here he was without his mind to handle them. He should be enjoying this but instead, Sester felt distressingly naked and vulnerable. Panic made him keep backing up even though there was nowhere to go.

Sester wanted to say something. He knew that he normally would have. Something witty to diffuse the situation or make them all glare at him with consternation or roll their eyes. Anything to break this awkwardness. But his word-starved lips had nothing to say. No droll thoughts to entertain himself or others. Thoughts were moving slower than molasses through a block of ice.

His mind could not think of any games.

Numbing fear and emptiness paralyzed him and his carefully crafted world collapsed around his ears.

The back of his legs hit the edge of the bunk and he fell unceremoniously backwards. His normal self would swear, with a twinkle in his eyes, that it was accidentally-on-purpose. But nothing came to him. His mind seemed frozen.

Jenna immediately fell on him, tearing at his clothes, her mouth devouring his. Sester desperately tried to keep his shirt on.

"Hey, I was here first!" Kirsten grabbed Jenna by the shoulders and yanked her back, sending her spiralling away. She sat down next to him and asked, "Are you alright?"

Holding his torn shirt together, Sester looked into her eyes…and couldn't tell anything. The panic increased. He had to get out of here. Kirsten was…important to him. He might say something wrong and that terrified him.

This situation demanded words from him but he couldn't think of any. All he had were overwhelming feelings that he normally parlayed into a game. With hesitant fingers, he reached up and gently traced Kirsten's lips. He leaned forward and kissed her, his lips touching hers softly as if she were a delicate flower that needed care. Her lips parted invitingly.

No. He couldn't do this without his mind. He might do something wrong. Sester couldn't believe it but he pushed her gently away. "I…can't do this, Kirsten. Not right now."

There was a hurt look in her eyes that made him want to kick himself. He had to get out of here before he could hurt her anymore. Before Kirsten or Jenna could stop him, he leaped off the bed and ran out.

**********

Reya didn't know what she was doing going to Sester's cabin. When she regained consciousness in the gym, her legs had automatically led her in this direction.

No, that wasn't true. She did know why she was here. It was a reason that frightened her and warmed her insides, filling her with longing that should only be for one man. The moist desire of her body betrayed her. Her fevered flesh yearned for this man's skilful fingers to touch her, to make her moan with pleasure in spite of her will, as he once did.

There had been the pretext of circumstance then, a situation beyond her control. Now, need drove her. An insatiable desire. And fear. She didn't have time to identify if it was love or pure animal lust. It didn't matter. The need was overwhelming and her mind could contain no other thoughts.

**********

Avon had stopped moving.

_This junction should not be here. _The hard straight edge beneath his fingers did not lie. He retraced the layout of the ship in his mind. His fist hit the metal surface. _This can't be right._

Lesser minds might panic but Avon refused to. There had to be a reason. Had his drug-muddled mind confused the directions? Was there a miscalculation of distance? Had he miscounted the corridors?

That had to be it.

His mind refused to accept any crazy notions that this might not be the same ship. The reality was already disturbing enough. He was blind and alone and he had no idea where he was.

Avon had tried the comms but none of them worked. He thought he'd heard animal sounds earlier but concluded that his ears had been playing tricks on him. They must have been ambient sounds from the ship that a sighted man rarely noticed.

**********

The corridors were a blur as Sester ran, like a man escaping from a nameless horror. Unfortunately, when that horror was you, no amount of running seemed enough.

Oomph! Sester ran headlong into Reya. His legs buckled in stunned shock as she held him up. He said, "Sorry…I didn't expect…"

"Didn't you?" asked Reya with a faint smile. "I seem to recall that you like arranging meetings in corridors."

"I…did…"

Her warm manner and the supportive hands around his shoulders, that were wandering downwards, should have warned him.

"You were right."

"I…was?" he asked confused. "About what?"

"I can't stay away from you. I…" Reya knew she shouldn't be saying this. She should not be doing this but she couldn't help it. Desire was compelling her. "…need you." With a speed that always amazed Argus, she had his shirt off and her hands were roaming across his chest.

Sester's mouth dropped open as he looked down. He grabbed her hands. After kissing Kirsten, this didn't seem right. "Reya…" But he had wanted this woman for a long time. His body remembered his need for her. With his hands on her wrists, he spread her arms and pinioned them against the wall. His mouth crushed hers in a passionate kiss. Their bodies pressed tightly together, his need rising hard. He let go and began removing her shirt, sliding it slowly down her body. Her hands curled around his neck and she arched back as his lips found the hollow of her throat. "Uh…"

**********

_The engineering section? _Avon thought in frustration and disgust at his own inability to find the flight deck. _This is on the wrong side of the ship._

The large cavernous feel and the steady hum of the spatial distort engines could not be a mistake. He couldn't believe that he had been turned around so badly in his own mind-picture of the ship. The evidence of his ears could not lie. He had to accept that he was in the engine room.

_Computers. _There were auxiliary computers here that connected directly to the battle and navigation controllers on the flight deck. The comms might not be working but this was the next best alternative.

Avon felt his way along the walls. "Is anyone here?" he asked out of habit. Silence greeted him.

Fluidic distribution panel. He carefully identified each station, trying to avoid touching any buttons by mistake. That would not be wise in this room.

Antimatter stream monitor. A warning beep made him jerk his hand away.

Several more stations and he found what he was feeling for. Practiced fingers pressed several controls. "Computer, are you receiving information from the flight deck controllers?"

"Confirmed."

He asked, "Am I the only person onboard this ship?"

"Information not available."

His voice rose in frustration, "What do you mean, 'information not available'?"

"Current data is unavailable."

"That's not what I'm asking. I want to know _why _the information is unavailable."

"Internal scanners are inoperative."

After what had seemed, several frustrating hours trying to locate the flight deck, Avon was not in a good mood. "Why didn't you say that in the first place! Do you know why the scanners are out?"

"Information is not…"

Avon snapped, "I know, it's not available. Tell me something more useful."

"Internal communications have also been disabled."

He hit the panel. "I already _know_ that."

The computer fell silent.

Avon pushed down exasperated emotions and tried to regain control. He was certain the computer had the information he needed; he just needed the right questions. "Alright, computer. How long have the internal comm and scanners been disabled?"

The computer replied, "Two hours forty-one minutes."

Avon didn't like the sounds of that. Anything could have happened in that time and most likely did. "Almost three hours."

"Confirmed."

"Has anyone tried to board the ship?"

"Negative."

"Are the external scanners working?"

"All external scanners are working within operational parameters."

"Good. Bring long-range scanners online. Full orbital scan."

"Confirmed." A few nervous seconds passed. "A flotilla of eight ships has surrounded the _Justice_."

Avon's heart began pounding loudly in his chest. He shouted, "Computer, battle and navigation computers online! Bring up the force wall!"

"Battle and navigation computers are currently online. Force wall is already activated."

He thought aloud, "Then there must be someone on the flight deck."

"Information is incorrect. The Zen controller activated the battle and navigation computers when there was no human intervention."

Avon froze for a moment. "There was no one on the flight deck?"

"The Zen computer reports that there were no humans on the flight deck when it took pre-emptive action."

His mind raced as he processed this information. The revelation that there was no one on the flight deck was the least of his current problems. There were more pressing dangers.

"What a minute. We're surrounded?"

"That is correct."

"And the battle and navigation computers are online?"

"Confirmed."

"Then why have there been no…the ships haven't fired on us?"

"Confirmed."

There were several reasons, most of which were not good. The _Justice_ was a valuable prize. "Are the navigation computers able to plot an escape course?"

"Battle and navigation computers report that all possible flight paths fall within weapons range of enemy ships."

"Then we're stuck."

"Confirmed."

_Why haven't the ships made a move against us? _"Computer, can you identify the ships?"

"Available data classifies them as seven Mark II pursuit ships and one Sigma class heavy battle cruiser."

Avon exclaimed, "Federation?"

"Confirmed."

Even on the _Liberator_, they had never run across a heavy battle cruiser. He had witnessed them in action during the alien invasion. A single one was formidable. With the support of other ships, even with its superior speed, the _Justice_ was in trouble. The situation was quickly deteriorating from bad to worse.

"Information."

On the other hand, bad was a relative term.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Six

Reya's moans of pleasure were music to Sester's ears. She writhed beneath his hands; sensitive to every brush of his fingers as he explored her body, touching everywhere except the most exquisite places that would send her over the edge.

She was long past words as he blinded her mind with sensations that made it impossible to think. Their sweat slick bodies were entwined, sliding in unison, flesh against burning flesh.

They had barely enough presence of mind to stumble into a nearby empty room rather than continue out in the corridor. Now they were lost in each other.

A single thrust was all that would be required, and there would be no turning back for either one of them.

**********

Their bodies were on fire and they were ready for the final step. Sester poised at the threshold, ready to slide into an entrance that was wet and welcoming, waiting to be possessed. He hesitated and his eyes sought Reya's face. Her desired-filled eyes met his, almost begging him to continue, to enter and give them both what they had wanted for a long time.

All he needed to… A face appeared before his mind. Beautiful, tantalizing, gentle, mischievous, and the hurt look in the eyes tugging at a heart that he didn't know he possessed.

Sester groaned, half in agony, half in need. He didn't know how he found the strength or presence of mind but his body twisted and he fell beside Reya, his lungs panting with anguish and unfulfilled desire.

His voice was an agonized whisper, "Reya…I can't. We…can't."

Sester's tortured words and his unexpected strength pierced through Reya's desire-soaked mind. The truth of what they were about to do exploded in her consciousness. Tears welled up in her eyes and emotional pain shot through her in sharp, merciless jabs. Her voice was a guilt-soaked whisper, "Argus…Oh, god…what have I done?" She rolled her body away from Sester and curled up, her arms hugging her pulled up knees, trying to be smaller so she could hide from herself. From everyone…

Her shoulders shuddered violently as silent sobs wracked her body. Sester reached out a comforting hand but didn't touch her. His voice was warm. "Reya…"

"Leave me alone."

Now that he had made the effort, the desire was abating, the stiff desire of his body flagging. A mind normally active with analysis and calculation was still alarmingly empty, but Sester had realized something very important.

He said gently, "Reya, I know you don't want to talk right now. But I hope you can listen. What we almost did…"

"Don't say it," her muffled voice told him.

"I have to."

A woman, who normally face life with courage and strength, found that she no longer had either. "Please…don't…"

With an anguished heart, he listened to Reya's choked breaths as she cried next to him. His hand reached out again, trying to give her comfort, but stopped just shy of touching her. He wished he could take back time and erase all memory of what happened. It didn't matter that they had not…

"Reya, we have to talk about it." Sester suddenly sat up. He may no longer have a mind that functioned the way he expected it to, but he knew they couldn't ignore what happened. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain but he knew it would be worse if they didn't deal with it. "I'll…start. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

There was no reply but Reya's body was no longer shaking.

Did it mean she was willing to listen? Was she too overwhelmed with guilt and grief to respond? Or had she cried herself out?

Sester shook his head in frustration and mystification. How did common people cope with the uncertainty of having to make blind guesses? He imagined that they invariably made the wrong ones. It was no wonder human society was such a mess.

He continued, hoping that she was listening. "I know you don't want to hear it, but…I care a great deal about you."

"_No!_" she said in a voice that was almost a plea.

He said as gently as he could, "Let me finish, Reya. I would be lying if I said that I didn't. And…you know that I won't lie to you. I'm also strongly attracted to you physically. And you are to me. We can't deny that either. Not after what we almost did. But…I can't do it…" It had been a great revelation to him. "…because I have someone else now."

Reya rolled over to look at him.

Sester's breath caught. Her eyes were puffy and cheeks stained by misery but she still looked beautiful to him.

She asked in a scratchy voice, "Kirsten?"

His head dipped in acknowledgement. "Yes. How did you know?"

The corner of her lips briefly lifted. "It was obvious. Besides, Jenna isn't your type. You need someone who's at least as intelligent as you are and just as devious."

"I'm…not sure if that was a compliment," he said wryly.

"It was."

"I will never be able to stop caring about you, Reya. But…I think…I can let go of you now."

Reya looked deeply into his eyes and found a man who seemed to have forgotten how to play games. "I'm glad."

She sat up and faced him. They were both naked but there were no stirrings of the senses, no primal urgings or involuntary bodily reactions.

Her head bowed and she took a deep breath. The act, so reminiscent of the man she loved, filled her with even greater sadness. "You're right. I can't…deny that I'm physically attracted to you. This…was a great mistake…a moment of madness…" She shook her head in disgust at herself. "…weakness." Her voice hardened, "It will never occur again. I will _never_ let this happen again." Troubled eyes were also filled with confusion. "I…don't understand how…" It didn't matter how. The damage was done but she was determined that this would never occur again.

Her head lifted and she sought his eyes. "I don't love you. I never have and I never will. Not even if I lose Argus. The two of us are joined…in a way that even death cannot separate us."

"I've always known that," Sester said quietly.

"Yet you still…"

"I shouldn't have. I know. I have no excuses. You can't always rationalize away your obsessions…that was what you were to me. You're an incredible woman, Reya. Argus is a lucky man and if he ever takes you for granted…"

"You will make his life miserable?"

Now that the air was clearing between them, they automatically slipped into the easy banter that characterized their lighter moments.

Sester gave her a sad grin. "I suppose…that won't be much of a change."

"Not much." Reya gathered up her clothes and began putting them on. Sester watched her for a moment, admiring her precise fluid motions, before putting on his own clothes.

After they were dressed, Reya turned to face him. "I may not love you, but I do like you."

"Can we still be friends?"

Reya hesitated. "Not now. Perhaps…later. When we've gained some perspective …and when you've decided about your relationship with Kirsten. She's a remarkable woman."

"This ship seems full of them."

"Is that why you're in trouble with so many of them?"

Sester chuckled as he slipped his arm into the dark grey jacket. "You have no idea."

"I don't think I want to know. We should stay away from each other for awhile."

"That's going to be hard on a ship."

"We have to try."

"You're right." He looked down at himself and straightened his shirt. "Do I…look decent?"

"Do you want a real answer?"

"Now, you're sounding like me," he grinned and then a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Reya, you mentioned something earlier."

Reya checked that her clothes didn't look out of place. "Yes?"

"You said this must've been a moment of madness? What if it was?"

"You're hoping it was?" she asked.

"I…" He was trying to think as hard as he could, concentrating the few brain cells that seemed to be working. "There's something…odd."

She looked at him sharply. "What's odd?"

"I can't think."

Her eyebrows lifted in query. "I don't understand."

"I _can_ think, somewhat…but it's different." A distress look crossed Sester's face. "I've lost it _all_, Reya."

"What have you lost?" her eyes were clouded with confusion.

"My ability to think." Seeing that she still didn't understand, and wishing that he had just a few more brain cells working, Sester said, "Normally, my mind is analyzing everything. Calculating. Arranging probabilities. Observing a million minute details that most people take for granted. I can go into any situation and _know_, within a small degree of error, how something is going to turn out. But I've lost it. My mind no longer works."

"That's strange. I would almost suspect that someone had slipped you some Shade. Do you feel any other symptoms?"

"No. Nothing like that. I think something's wrong."

"We should get you to the medical unit and have you checked out." She moved towards the exit.

"It's more than that. I don't think I'm the only one who was affected."

Reya stopped and her lips pursed. She nodded slowly as she remembered something. "Before finding you, I was lying on the ground in the gym. Others were too. I…should have found that strange but…I couldn't think. I…was filled with…" She looked at him uncomfortably. "…well…I found myself looking for you."

"We should look into this."

"I agree."

The two walked out of the room together, on the search for some answers.

**********

Argus had run off so fast that Vila was left staring in his wake. The sight of their half-naked leader, his muscles bulging and beautiful as he stood, clad only in a towel, ready to take on any enemy and tear them to shreds, had been both reassuring and frightening.

He was just the person Vila needed. Someone big and scary to fight the monsters lurking around the corner. A man who knew what he was doing and would give the orders. Not like him, afraid, desperately grabbing for ideas and hoping they were the right ones.

Now that there was someone to take charge, Vila was no longer hampered by fear or panic and there was room for other thoughts.

Maybe Argus might need help? Vila might not be able to face danger on his own, he'd prefer not to face it at all if humanly possible, but now that he wasn't alone, he had room to be - at least a little - brave.

A thought stopped him. _Where's Corinne?_

He couldn't believe that in his panic, he'd forgotten all about her. That would never do. He had to find her and make sure she was safe.

Vila took a step and realized he had no idea where to look. The last time he'd seen her was at the practice range with the Commander and Kirsten. He didn't imagine she was still there but maybe someone might know.

**********

Corinne hid behind a mound of boxes she had piled high. The end of her rifle stuck out and was aimed at the door. Her heart fluttered with fear. An unknown horror lurked, the one that was always beyond the walls when she was on Chandar.

She'd always been kept safe by her parents but they had warned her never to leave the compound. It wasn't safe. There was danger outside beyond the walls.

As a young girl, she had imagined it as a fearsome monster with many sharp, pointy teeth and smelly breath. Eyes that glowed red with fire and razor-sharp claws that could tear a little girl in two. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night, shivering with fear and her sleeping gown soaked. She'd never told her parents of the monster. They had too many things to worry about and too much to do. She wanted to be brave like them and she swore that one day she would slay the monster. Her mother had taught her how to take care of herself and now - Corinne sighted along the rifle - she had the weapon to do it with.

Today was the day she would slay the monster.

**********

The Argus-Wolf raced through the corridors at break-neck speed. There was danger to the ship and he had to get to the flight deck as fast as possible. He slowed down as he came upon two familiar figures.

The Wolf didn't need introductions as it identified...Reya. Mate. Its mouth opened in a wolfish grin of delight and the towel around its waist was not tight enough to hide its primal reactions.

_Keep your paws off her._

The wolf sneeze-laughed. Reya. Mate.

_Now wait a minute…we may be in the same body...but… _Argus had horrifying pictures in his mind from half-remembered childhood lessons about the mating habits of wolves.

The Wolf growled low, a menacing sound rumbling in its chest. It recognized the other figure. Enemy.

Before Argus realized what was happening the Wolf had bounded forward, a knife gripped in its hand. Instinct made Reya turn but the Wolf had launched itself and tackled Sester to the ground. It now knelt, straddling his enemy's body, its knife pressed up against Sester's neck as a bead of red gathering at the tip.

The Wolf growled threateningly. It did not like what it smelled.

Reya said in alarm, "Argus! What are you doing?"

The Wolf looked up at its mate. Its nose twitched as it sniffed her in greeting, a sound that turned to a grumble-growl of displeasure. Reya-mate smelled of the male beneath him. It glared at its enemy and bared its teeth. It was going to enjoy killing this human.

_What did you say? _Argus's voice sounded shocked in the Wolf's head.

Could the Alpha-human not smell it? Reya-mate has been with this male. They could not allow that.

The Wolf could tell that Argus was upset but it had a ready solution. The creature pressed the knife in further, beginning a shallow line across the enemy's throat that would soon become deeper. Beads of blood became a slow trickle.

Sester grabbed at the hand holding the knife but it was like trying to bend steel. "Argus, let's talk about this!"

"Argus! Don't!" Reya's voice became frantic as she took hold of his shoulder.

The Wolf shook her off with a snarl of warning.

_Don't hurt her! _Argus's voice on the Wolf's mind was frantic.

A grumble resonated deep within the creature's chest. It would not hurt Reya but no one touched its mate and lived.

"Argus, you're going to kill him!"

The Wolf gave a cynical bark. Reya-mate must know it had to be done.

Through the eyes of the Wolf, Argus looked into Reya's face. Pain welled up inside him and sadness. He loved this woman more than his own life and he had never considered himself good enough for her. He never had the right words to say. All he knew how to do was kill and to lead others to kill. She deserved someone better than he was. Maybe she finally realized it.

_Let him go._

The Wolf gave a half-growl of refusal and incomprehension. The Alpha-human's thoughts confused it. In its orderly world, the Alpha male took what was rightfully his without question or fear. If the human did not know how to behave, it did. The Wolf moved to slice the enemy's throat but found that its hand could not move.

_You will not kill him. I won't let you._

The Wolf shook its head angrily. Rivals and enemies had to be dealt with swiftly and without mercy. Why did the Alpha-human not understand?

_Because you're not human. I cannot let you kill him._

The Wolf lifted its head to Reya and realized that it was because of her. It understood now. It was bound to her too. Before the Wolf became conscious of it, Argus had regained partial control.

The Argus-Wolf looked down at Sester and lifted the knife from his throat. He would deny his mate nothing. He loved her too much. Wolves mated for life and he was no different. For him, there would be no other woman.

If Reya chose another, he would let her go even though it would break his heart to do so. The Wolf whined and gave a low mournful howl.

Reya fell to her knees and put her arms around him. Argus had not said a word but the look on his face, the pain in his eyes and the strange cry from his lips had told her what was going through his mind. "I will never love anyone else. No matter what else happens. I need you to believe that, Argus."

The Argus-Wolf's heart leapt. Reya's eyes were sincere. It cautiously planted a big wet kiss on his mate's lips. His mouth opened in a wide smile and his eyes gleamed.

He stood up, back straight like the soldier he was and his head held high like the Wolf. "Now we fight!" Argus-Wolf looked down at Sester and gave the outcast a warning snarl.

Clang! Metal hit on metal and the deck lurched beneath their feet. Argus-Wolf instinctively put his arms around Reya. They looked at each other as the same thought passed through their minds.

Argus-Wolf said with the calm urgency of a leader whose pack was in danger, "We're being boarded. Mid entry hatch. Reya, gather anyone you can find and arm them. The enemy cannot be allowed to get to the engineering section. I'll go to the flight deck and see if I can talk to these people."

She nodded and ran off.

Sester got up slowly, his hand covering the bleeding cut on the side of his neck. "And what do you want me to do?"

Argus-Wolf glared at him for a moment. "Stay where I can keep an eye on you." He ran to the flight deck as an amused Sester followed.

**********

Avon let go of the side of the panel he had grabbed to steady himself. He recognized the sound of a ship being boarded.

What could he do? He couldn't fight them. Even if he wasn't blind, he was alone and unarmed.

His hand touched the panel. The ship itself could be a weapon. There were many possibilities to stop a boarding party. With no one else aboard, he had additional options. His only concern would be the smell of decaying corpses afterwards but he was certain the autocleaners would be able to take care of them.

The engineering section had to be sealed off first. Avon began feeling his way to the right control panel.

Chapter Seven

Reya moved swiftly through the ship, making a quick stop at the armoury to gather weapons.

_Two minutes, maybe three before they break through the outer hatch. Another two for the inner one. _Not enough time to scour the whole ship for the elusive ship's crew, but enough to make one more stop. The rifles slapped against her thighs as she ran, like the marker in a countdown to imminent danger.

She breathed a quick sigh of relief as one of the Athol soldiers came into view. Dyre's normally cheerful face crinkled in confusion and his hand was raised to scratch his prematurely greying hair. He'd just woken and he couldn't seem to find anyone. It was all very strange.

Reya automatically slid a rifle from her shoulders and slowing down just long enough to shove it at him, she shouted as she went past, "We're being boarded! Find the others and set up blockades outside the Mid-entry hatch! Now!"

Dyre clutched the rifle and stared blankly at Reya's quickly retreating back for a second then he raced off to follow her orders.

**********

Reya ran into the gym shouting, "We're…" She skidded to a halt and the rifles clattered to the deck as she stared in disbelief.

Baxter, completely nude, was posing with a hand-weight arranged tastefully in front of his private parts. He yelped and his eyes widened several times their normal size when he saw her. The mortified young man dived behind the barely adequate cover of a nearby of exercise machine.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Lt. Dain and a large number of soldiers were sitting cross-legged on the ground and intently…sketching. They all jumped up and stood to attention when they saw her.

"What on Athol is going on?" Reya demanded as she took in this abnormal sight.

Dain nearly dropped the sketchpad in his hands and his cheeks flushed pink. He stammered, "We're…drawing…Commander." His eyes lowered in embarrassment.

"And _why_ are you doing that?" demanded Reya.

"Some of the men were fighting. It was getting out of control and _I thought_…this might be a less destructive outlet so…"

"You decided to give them drawing lessons?"

Dain had the pained look of someone who had been caught doing something he shouldn't. "I know I'm not very good." He quickly clutched the data pad to his chest.

At that moment, Baxter, in proper infiltrating posture, was on his hands and knees, trying to crawl discreetly to the exit, all the while trying not to expose the more interesting parts of himself. This was far more of a challenge than he originally expected and he glanced wistfully over his shoulder at the weight he had left behind.

Reya held out her hand and Dain reluctantly gave her the drawing pad. It was a detailed sketch of young Baxter, skilfully rendered and shaded to give it depth and expression. Delicate highlights added life. Being an amateur artist herself, Reya recognized talent beyond her own. She said in admiration, "This is beautiful, Dain."

The lieutenant's face had turned a bright crimson. "No it isn't, Commander."

"It's a beautiful sketch." She turned her head towards the weight machine Baxter had been hiding himself behind and spotted the young man, out in the open, so to speak. "Baxter! What do you think you're doing?"

The mortified man, like a deer suddenly finding itself in the crosshairs of a battalion of enemy snipers, flattened himself to the ground. "I'm..." He was nearly squeaking. "...trying to find my clothes, Commander."

Reya's eyes narrowed. "Someone find Baxter his clothes."

Bari, the comm tech, was looking over Reya's shoulder at the lieutenant's drawing. He said without a trace of humour, "He didn't come in with any, Commander."

Reya stared disapprovingly at the nude, and tightly toned backside. "Where are your clothes, soldier?"

For some reason, poor Baxter had laced his fingers behind his head, somewhat like a prisoner who had nowhere to go or someone who wished he were currently dead. "I...don't know, sir."

The comm tech kept looking between the drawing and the naked young man. "That's very _beautiful_, lieutenant. His eyes have a nice soulful quality...not that I've ever noticed, of course..."

Dain snapped, "Shut up, corporal, or I'll be drawing you next."

Bari managed to keep a straight face but his eyes were sparkling.

Reya said, "Well it can't be helped. There's no room for modesty or Baxter's clothes. We're being boarded. Dain, get the men together, and take the weapons."

A dozen sketchpads were dropped unceremoniously to the ground as the soldiers registered alarm at the shocking news and readied themselves for orders they knew were coming.

Dain said, "Sergeant! Arm the men." As the soldiers took the rifles, Dain picked one up and said, "I thought I'd heard something earlier."

"You've never been on a ship that's been boarded?" Reya asked as Dain followed her out. The soldiers quickly exited after them, including young Baxter who lagged behind and had his rifle positioned decidedly in front of him.

"No, ma'am," said Dain as he slapped the control on the side of the rifle and it hummed to life.

"Then it's time for some on-the-job training."

**********

Argus-Wolf reached the flight deck in record time. "Zen, open communications channel with the battle cruiser."

"Confirmed. Communications channel open."

He settled into his command position. "This is Argus. We are a peaceful ship. Please state your intentions."

For a moment there was no response and then a grey-haired man in a well-decorated Federation officer's uniform appeared. "Commander Argus. I was beginning to think there was no one onboard."

Argus started at the familiar face and his back straightened. "Admiral Tarkov."

"What is the status of your ship?"

"I'm not sure, sir. Something strange appears to have happened." The Wolf inside him snorted its agreement. It found humans unnecessarily complicated.

"That's why we're here, Commander. We've been chasing an invisible anomaly. Three ships…"

The Admiral's face abruptly disintegrated into static.

"Zen, re-establish the comm channel."

"External communications systems are now inoperative. Malfunction at ninety-eight percent of normal efficiency."

"Can it be fixed?"

" Repair monitors are in phase two reassessment."

This was not good. That meant the repair computers had skipped phase one altogether. He needed to talk to the Admiral. "So any repairs would take at least several hours?"

"Phase two reassessment is not yet complete."

Sester had been watching from the flight deck steps, his arms crossed over his chest and leaning lazily against the bulkhead. "That's interesting."

The Argus-Wolf had a ready snarl on its face as it turned to face him. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

The psychostrategist came down the steps. "Not really. You ordered me to stay in your sight, remember?"

Argus-Wolf gave a low growl, "Stay out of my way."

Sester had a slight grin on his face as he sat down on the couch. "How do you propose I stay out of your way _and_ be within your sight?"

A growl rumbled in Argus-Wolf's chest.

Sester's slight grin widened as he made himself comfortable. "You know Admiral Tarkov?"

"I served under him on two campaigns." Argus was not about to tell the psychostrategist that this was one of his military contacts that the Federation had been so interested in trying to extract from him.

Sester found that with constant effort, his mind was beginning to function again. Or needling this man just came naturally even to his partially functioning brain. "Then the people boarding the ship are _his_ men?"

Argus stared hard at him as the implication became clear.

Sester said, "Yes. You'd better stop Reya from shooting anyone."

As Argus ran to the exit, he shouted behind him, "Stay here! Don't touch anything."

Sester smiled with amusement as Argus left. It wasn't as if any of the controls on the flight deck would work for him. With nothing else to do, his hand absently rubbed the cut on the side of his neck and he began to think about Argus and the sounds he had been making.

**********

Avon jerked his hand away as a spark of pain singed it. "Not that one." His lips curled in a snarl of frustration. This entire exercise was testing nerves that were already stretched thin.

He paused briefly and composed his mind. *_ Cally. _* Avon had lost count of the number of times he had reached out into the silence, calling her name and receiving no answer.

The definition of madness was to commit the same action repeatedly but expect a different result. This entire ship seemed to have slipped past the threshold of insanity and his mind was being inexorably drawn to the same place.

A vessel teaming with life had become a mausoleum for the missing, with himself as its blind caretaker.

At least when Cally finally answered, for her it would be the first time. She would never know that irrational sentiment had caused him to keep calling her name despite the evidence that she was gone.

With steady fingers, he touched the side of the casing, counted inwards to single out one wire out of dozens, and followed its smooth length.

Running a bypass to connect the ship's auxiliary atmospheric systems to the plasma coolant ejectors was a difficult enough procedure for a sighted man. Being unable to see the colours of the wires, he had to trace each lead by touch alone. Even then, there were some he had to depend entirely on guesswork. This was far more difficult than trying to defuse the solium device on Albian. Not a situation he preferred but he had no choice.

The coolant was poisonous but he had sealed off the engineering section he was in.

**********

Cally lay on a circular bed. Her eyes were closed and her head rocked from side-to-side as the scenes on the ship played out in her mind. Through the power of her captor, she had witnessed everything, from Kirsten and Jenna's fight outside Sester's cabin to Sester and Reya's mistake to Argus's descent into the Wolf, and had been unable to stop them.

The most terrible images were of Avon's stumbling progress through the ship, which miraculously managed to miss any of the people running through the corridors. She suspected that her host had something to do with it. He wanted to keep Avon isolated from the others.

*_ Avon, no! _* she desperately tried to project to him but it was no use.

**********

Corinne lay in the dark. Everything took on a reddish glow through the night vision site. It was very simple. A single squeeze of the trigger and all of the monsters of her childhood would be gone forever.

She didn't like killing but monsters weren't people.

The door slid open and light flooded in from the corridor. A dark, imposing figure appeared at the entrance. Corinne's trembling fingers quickly pulled the trigger.

A flash. A groan. And the creature of her nightmares crumpled to the ground.

Chapter Eight

Avon worked quickly as he made the last few connections.

**********

Is it always this chaotic in your den? the Wolf asked conversationally as Argus ran to stop Reya from shooting the Admiral's boarding party.

_I'm a little busy right now._

The Wolf huffed. One was just curious. It may be better to find a more suitable den to raise one's young.

Argus hoped that he wouldn't be stuck forever with the voice of the Wolf in his head. At least he was in control of his body again. _I don't plan to raise any young here._

There was a strong harrumph in his head. One's mate may have other ideas.

As Argus neared, his sensitive ears caught the chaotic sounds of men engaged in battle. He took a deep breath and bellowed, "Reya! Stop! Ceasefire! Ceasefire!"

He rounded the corner and dove for the deck as a shot lanced the wall beside his head.

The Wolf remarked. That was unwise.

Argus lifted his head cautiously and held up both hands, palms open, in a peaceful gesture. "Stop! This is a mistake!" He got up slowly; ready to hit the deck if he saw fingers tightening around triggers.

"I have spoken to Admiral Tarkov. This is all a mistake. I'm going to ask my men to drop their weapons. I ask that you do the same."

Argus gestured for his men to lower their weapons.

Reya stood up slowly. "Are you sure about this?"

Keeping his eyes trained on the black-clad Federation soldiers, he said, "Yes. Now. Everyone."

Reya pointed her rifle to the ground, followed by the soldiers. Young Baxter had sidestepped behind the lieutenant and lowered his carefully. His ears were red.

The Federation soldiers hesitated but they slowly lowered theirs as well.

A grey-haired man stuck his head through the access hatch and spotted Argus. "Oh, good. You've sorted it out. The comms stopped working so I thought I'd better come down."

Admiral Tarkov stepped through; his eyes instantly sweeping the field, like any practiced superior inspecting the fitness of the troops. There was a disapproving look in his eyes. "I hope you have a good explanation for the appearance of your men, Commander. _And_ yourself."

Argus swallowed hard, feeling like a junior lieutenant caught with his pants down at an inopportune moment. "We're not normally like this, sir." His eyes narrowed as he spotted the nude young soldier. "We're normally…"

The Admiral chuckled. "Clothed? Relax, Commander. This is harmless compared to the other three ships we ran across."

Reya stepped forward and asked, "The other three ships?"

Argus made the introductions. "This is my security officer, Commander Reya Reve of the Athol Territories. Lt. Dain and the others are also of Athol."

Tarkov nodded approvingly. "Athol, eh? Tough fighters."

"They are, sir. You were saying something about an invisible anomaly earlier?"

**********

The monster groaned. "Who shot me?" it complained and groaned again.

"Vila!" Corinne's rifle was forgotten as she dropped it and ran to the blocked doorway across which Vila was now lying and moaning bitterly about his life.

She switched on the illumination controls and Vila brought his hand up to shade his eyes. "Corinne? Is that you?"

The horrified young woman knelt down beside him. "Oh, Vila! I'm so sorry!"

"You shot me? Was it something I said?"

"I thought you were a monster."

Vila said, "But I haven't been a monster in ages. Not since the third form when I played…well, never mind that. How could you think I was a monster? I haven't been treating you _that_ badly, have I?"

Corinne wrapped her arms around him. "You've been wonderful! You're the most unmonsterly person I've ever met."

"But you shot me."

"I didn't know it was you. I thought…" Corinne proceeded to explain about her childhood terrors.

"That's terrible," Vila said in sympathy. "No wonder you wanted to kill it."

Corinne's eyes suddenly scrunched up in puzzlement. "Vila, why aren't you dead? I shot you point blank in the middle of your chest."

Vila looked down and rubbed the big bruise he was certain was developing where he'd been shot. "You did. But I'll be fine."

"I don't understand."

"They use training rifles in here. I thought you knew that. When the rays hit something living, it just leaves a nasty bruise." Vila groaned in pain. "I think I'm going to die."

"But you just said that…"

"D'you think there's a chance Cally would give me some soma?"

"For a bruise?"

"A _big_ bruise. You can tell her you nearly killed me. She'll believe you."

"She'd probably say you deserved it," said Corinne. "Can you get up?"

"I think I'll lie here for awhile. That ceiling is a nice colour." Vila suddenly popped up and groaned loudly as he put his hand over his chest. "Remind me never to do that again. We have to get to the flight deck, Argus might need help."

**********

Avon's finger was poised over the button. One press and it would send the noxious gas through the ship. A low enough concentration to knock everyone out without killing them. He could not risk anything more lethal in case the crew was still onboard. In case Cally was on the ship and needed him to save her. It would give him time to think of a better solution..

_Weapons fire_. He withdrew his hand. _So, I'm not alone. _

Should he still use the gas? It would remove any immediate danger. The crew might be annoyed at being rendered unconscious but it was better than being dead. He reached towards the button again.

**********

[Back to the beginning. When the ship ran across the anomaly. From Cally's perspective.]

"It is possible," said Dr. Sun, his almond eyes crinkling in thought. "Success with stem cell differentiation is still fairly new. Even on Tellar. But the possibilities are limitless. We've have been concentrating on critical organs such as the heart."

Cally asked, a tinge of anguish constricting her throat. "And eyes are not considered critical?"

The doctor nodded gently, "I understand your urgency, Cally. You feel Avon's pain and frustration on a level that I can't even begin to imagine. It's a terrible experience for him and for you. Technically, the loss of one's sight is not considered life threatening."

"Does that mean you're not going to do anything?" she asked, crestfallen but refusing to accept his words.

Sun touched her arm lightly and his eyes were kind. "That's not what I meant. We will try our best for him."

Without warning, the air around them glowed and then burst into light that would rival a thousand suns. Cally's hands flattened over her eyes as she tried to protect herself. But the unnatural light seared through sinew and bone right into the core of her being.

There should have been pain or screams but there was only silence. Her mind automatically reached out to Avon but the thought was never completed.

**********

_Where am I? _

"I have waited for you, Cally," a disembodied voice spoke directly into her mind.

On a bed that was not her own, Cally's unconscious body moved restlessly. She'd heard this voice before. "I know you."

"We are meant to be together."

"You're the Thaarn!" Cally's head shook from side to side as she struggled to free her mind from his control.

The voice sounded pleased, "You remembered."

She had to warn Avon and the others. "I remember that you're insane. You wanted to rule the universe."

"And you were to be by my side. The queen of a thousand worlds."

"You're still insane."

The voice roared with laughter. "If wishing to rule the universe is madness, then all gods must be mad."

"You're not a god, you're just insane. And if you want me to join you, then my answer is still the same. I will have nothing from you."

"I made an error at our last meeting. You were not ready for me. You had other loyalties. You had your crewmates. You were joined to them and to one in particular."

Fear drummed in Cally's heart. _Avon._

"Yes, the one called, Avon. I can see the threads that bind you. I can almost…"

In her mind, Cally had the impression of invisible hands reaching towards her.

"…touch them."

Cally's body tightened and a groan escaped her lips at the sudden unbearable pressure in the centre of her chest. It as if someone was trying to rip her heart from her body.

"You fought for him. You refused to let the alien entity harm him even though her mind was stronger than yours. Your bond to him gave you strength. I need someone who is capable of such loyalty. Such devotion."

She shouted, "Get out of my mind!"

His 'hand' withdrew and she slumped back on the bed, her breaths staggered. She reached out with her mind and called, * _Avon! There is… _*

"He cannot hear you. None of them can while you are here."

"I will not give you what you want. I would rather die first!"

"But I do not want you to die. You cannot keep me out forever, Cally. Soon we will be together. We shall rule the universe together. But now, you must sleep, sleep, sleep. We will talk again soon."

**********

"Cally, wake up."

Cally stirred on the round bed but her eyes remained shut. The return to herself was only in her mind. She demanded, "Let me go."

"I cannot do that. I'm alone. So alone. I need you, Cally."

"You cannot keep me prisoner here forever."

"Not a prisoner. A friend. Perhaps much more."

Cally's head shook. "You're dreaming."

"I know that you will never come to me if I destroyed your friends. So I will show you what they truly are. I will reveal to you humanity at its worst."

"None of them could be worse than you."

"Then watch and learn daughter of Auron. These humans are not like you. Not like _us_."

**********

Cally found herself as a disembodied presence, staring down at a well-built man curled up in a shower stall, his arms wrapped around himself.

_* Argus! * _

The Thaarn's voice sounded next to her ear. _He cannot hear you._

Whimpering sounds, like those of a wounded animal were coming from Argus. His muscles were tightly defined and flexed as someone engaged in battle.

_What did you do to him? _Cally demanded angrily.

_I want you to see your companions for what they truly are, Cally. This one has darkness inside him. A creature who would kill without a moment's hesitation. Normally he is able to hide it. I am freeing the creature so that he will no longer be able to conceal the truth of what he is._

_No! Leave him alone!_

_It is already too late. The creature is free._

The man below threw his head back and let out a deep-chested howl of misery.

Chapter Nine

Cally lay on a soft, plush skin of an animal, slain for its aesthetic value as an inanimate object rather than as a living creature. She would have been horrified at this cruel devaluation of life if she had been conscious enough to appreciate the Thaarn's choice of bedding. It was meant for her comfort, a gesture of his regard for her. He did not understand her at all.

**********

Cally watched in captive fascination and horror as Argus ran through the halls with only a towel wrapped around his naked body. He ran with the beauty of an animal that was perfectly formed for motion. Smooth, powerful and deadly. Grace and poetry was in his every step as he padded along on silent feet. It looked as if he could run forever or leap buildings - at least low ones - without much effort.

The look on his face and the curl of the lips revealing the teeth, in not quite a smile, sent shivers up and down her spine. It was the joy of a predator engaged in the hunt.

_Do you see, Cally?_

_I see what you've done to him_, she said angrily.

_I have done nothing except reveal what was inside him. He is a human animal. Someone who was born to kill. He enjoys it._

Her head shook in anguished denial of the man who seemed to have turned into a beast before her eyes. _No, you're wrong_.

_Why do you deny what is before your eyes, Cally? Must you see him kill in order to believe?_

_You've done this! It's your fault he's like this._

She had the impression of the Thaarn shaking his head. _You know I'm right, Cally. He was created by his masters to be the perfect killing machine. It is time to show you the others._

_I want to see, Avon, _she insisted.

**********

Suddenly, she was in one of many currently empty corridors, looking down on a man feeling his way along the walls. He asked, "Is anyone there?"

*_ Avon! _*

The Thaarn's voice reminded her. _He cannot hear you._

_Let me speak to him._

_You can only watch._

Avon's footsteps slowed as his face tensed in concentration. Cally recognized this look only too well, he was reaching out with his mind, trying to contact her.

_Why can't I hear him? _she asked as she strained her mental perceptions to its limits but was met with empty silence. It was frustrating having him so close but be unable to reach him in any way. Even if only to tell him that he was not alone; that he had not been abandoned.

_For the same reason he cannot hear you._

Cally watched helplessly as Avon continued on his way, not knowing that she was close enough to be touched.

Was the Thaarn able to block their psi communications? Then how was he able to communicate with her? Was he able to block specific people?

Or…he had said that she wouldn't able to reach anyone while she was _here_. It could mean that… _I'm not longer on the ship._

There was no response to confirm or deny her idea.

Cally challenged, _How can I learn to trust you if you will not tell me the truth? Am I no longer on the Justice?_

The Thaarn replied, _That's correct._ _You're on my ship._

_Then someone should be able to see it._

_No one can see it if I do not wish them to, _said the Thaarn.

_Then you must have an anti-detector screen, _said Cally_, _thinking along the lines of the technology that Avon developed.

The Thaarn scorned, _Nothing so primitive. Do you truly think that any human mind could compare with mine? Avon is nothing in relation to me._

_You_…Cally remembered their last encounter. …_cannot tolerate anyone or anything that has a superior intellect to yours_.

The Thaarn roared with laughter. _You consider a puny human, my equal?_

_I defeated you the last time._

The laughter cut off abruptly. _I defeated myself when I trusted you before you were ready. You are a woman with spirit. That is why you are fit to be my queen._

_And Avon?_

The Thaarn said arrogantly, _A blind man whose mind has been damaged? He is a shadow of the man he was when he was last in my power._

_Many people have underestimated Avon to their peril. He was able to work out how your technology operated and how to defeat it. He would have beaten you even if I had not been able to destroy your energy isolators._

The Thaarn scoffed_, I highly doubt it. I have something else to show you now. More of your crewmates. _

_But Avon_…

_He will be dealt with in time. For now I have made certain that he will remain lost. _

_What do you mean? _asked Cally suspiciously.

_A blind man relies on memory to find his location. I have adjusted the mental picture in his mind. He will go around in circles, never able to find the place he is looking for. But don't worry. He is perfectly safe. _There was a maniacal chuckle. _As long as he does not run into the creature that is now free._

_You can't_… Cally said furiously.

**********

…_do this_…

Her words had not finished when she found herself staring down at the unconscious bodies of Jenna and Kirsten.

_Where am I now? _This was the corridor where the guest quarters were located. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the markings on the door panel. _Sester._ _What are these two doing here together?_

She understood why Kirsten would be here. It was a matter she and Reya had discussed several times with increasing concern. Neither one of them wanted to see the young woman hurt.

Jenna… Cally's anger still burned with anger towards her. _I thought you had better taste, Sester. _She might not like or trust the treacherous psychostrategist but at least his choice in women had never been in question. Until now.

Jenna stirred and looked around her in confusion. (Cally knew how she felt.) Her face twisted in displeasure when she spotted Kirsten and she roughly pushed the young woman away from her. Her hands felt her own face, perhaps looking for injuries. She had a look of horror as she shifted back, as from some nameless horror.

There was a groan as Kirsten woke up, a look of uncertainty on her face. "Did we have a fight?"

"Did we?" Jenna was seemed like a woman who did not understand why she was suddenly old before her time and found herself lying on the ground, out in the middle of the corridor.

The two women stood up as they eyed each other warily.

_These two had a fight outside Sester's cabin?_ Cally couldn't believe it. _They were fighting over him?_

Jenna eyes became determined as she reached out a hand, of hope or of fear, Cally couldn't tell.

"No!" Kirsten tried to stop her. "He's mine!"

"No, he's mine!" Jenna body blocked her.

Kirsten had received fight training for her Challenges and Jenna was no novice to the art of taking care of herself. They squared off, bodies held low, circling each other for an advantage. The fight began in earnest as they exchanged blows, blocks and tried to take the opponent down.

Cally said, _I've had enough. Take me somewhere else._

_Human beings are such pitiful creatures. Violent for the most petty of reasons. They are both fighting for the attentions of the man inside. Would you like to know why?_

_It still makes them better than you. You're not just violent and self-seeking, you would kill in order to make yourself ruler of the universe._

_The most excellent of reasons!_

_You're insane. Jenna and Kirsten might be fighting now, but at least tomorrow they will still be alive._

The Thaarn said coldly, _And what of Jenna?_

Cally said abruptly, _What of her?_

_I can feel your anger, Cally. You cannot hide it from me. This woman, Jenna has a burdened soul. What you see here is only the result of one of her fears. That of growing old before her time. But what would she do for her other fears? The one that caused her to hurt Avon. That is why you cannot bring yourself to pardon her._

Cally was infuriated_. That's none of your business._

**********

Unexpectedly, she was somewhere else. The gym.

_Reya_. The woman had just regained consciousness and was looking around her trying to understand why she was on the ground. Her eyes closed for a moment and when she opened them, Cally saw something strange in them. It was almost like a fire was burning deep within her.

Reya staggered to her feet and went out, oblivious to anything other than the need that was inside her.

_What are you doing to her? _Cally demanded.

_This woman has a great love, doesn't she?_

_Leave her alone!_

_Did you know that she also has a great fear? One that she hides from all of you? One that will drive her to betray the one person she would never betray? I have brought that darkness to the surface so that you can see her for what she is._

Cally could not sit by and let the Thaarn destroy her friends. _Stop it! Leave her alone! I will…talk about what you want! Just stop this!_

_I will not do that. You promised me that we would rule the universe together. The last time we met. But you tricked me for the sake of your friends. Now I will tear them down before your eyes and you will no longer have a reason to leave me. Watch what this woman called Reya will do._

On the soft furs that cushioned her body, Cally thrashed about in helpless anguish as Sester ran into Reya. She witnessed the result of what the Thaarn had done in bringing their hidden desires and fears to the surface. The two were shortly in each other's arms, almost ripping the clothes from the other's bodies in their need to fulfil their hunger for each other. Soon they were naked and rolling on the ground, so wrapped up in desire that a bomb could have gone on beside them and they would not have noticed.

Fortunately the Thaarn, whether out of some obscure sense of modesty, sensitivity or bad timing, brought her away before the two lovers consummated their passion.

**********

For the next while, Cally was transported around the ship to witness the crew being driven by their deepest fears and being overwhelmed by them. It was not a pretty sight. The soldiers in the gym were engaged in multiple altercations and blood was close to being shed.

The Thaarn finally brought her back to Avon.

Avon had stopped moving and was feeling the corner edge of a corridor. His jaw was tense and he struck the corner in frustration. Stress lined his face and he had an expressionless look, not his normal impassive one, but one of exhaustion. He was standing stock still but she knew his mind must be racing as he tried to reason his way out of this situation.

The Thaarn had said that he would make Avon go around in circles. _How long has he been running you ragged, Avon? _Her heart went out to him but there was little she could do.

Even though she couldn't sense him, she knew that Avon wasn't just feeling frustration. There would be anger, helplessness and growing fear. All pushed down, of course, by the rational side of himself. Just out of the range of conscious thought but affecting his judgement and his frustration level. She had witnessed him take that aggravation out on hapless pieces of equipment before when he was particularly stymied.

Avon rubbed his thumb along his palm, unconsciously kneading it as he applied his dwindling mental energy to the problem.

The Thaarn's voice said, _The creature approaches._

Cally's heart began to pound harder. _Don't…_

_Don't worry. I will divert it. I have something else planned for Avon._

Avon cocked his head, as if he were trying to listen. He shook his head slightly when he heard nothing. Rounding the corner, he continued feeling his way along.

Cally tried to appeal to any shred of compassion the Thaarn possessed. _Avon's exhausted. The Shade must be wearing off. He will be feeling its effects soon. Please, let me help him._

Unfortunately, the Thaarn had none. _But he is the most important person in this little drama I have arranged. When Avon has been pushed to the breaking point, when he feels his own helplessness most keenly and when fear eats away everything except the most basic instinct for survival, do you think he will chose you or himself?_

_You bastard! You don't know Avon._

_The question is, do you? You may not have access to his mind but I do. I can sense the hidden darkness inside him. The inherent selfishness of the survivor. To him it would be a rational choice. But now you must sleep._

Chapter Ten

Being a god of small physical stature had nothing to do with the Thaarn's obsession with ruling the universe and having all creatures bow to him. Particularly anyone taller than one klach in height, by the old Auron measurements. Or those who showed any hint of intelligence.

He detested computers. The thought of all of those cold processing chips trying to rival _his_ intelligence. They were an abomination. As were any sentient beings who dared to compete with the mighty god Thaarn rather than worship him. The audacity of such creatures.

_The Thaarn realized he should have killed Avon when he had the chance many years ago. The speed with which this human seemed to understand a technology that should have been light years beyond him, had been disturbing. _

But the Thaarn had other priorities then. He had become obsessed with a daughter of Auron, as he was now. It had been a long time since he had been alone, without another to touch his mind.

Such emptiness as no human could possibly understand. Cally understood. She was as much of an outcast amongst her own people as the Thaarn was without his brothers. The Thaarn burned with righteous anger against those who had tried to imprison him beyond the threshold of time and space.

This universe would be his and his worshippers would burn across the stars, conquering every world that held life. The Thaarn had waited a long time for his revenge.

He had discovered more of the eternal secrets and he was rebuilding again. The first few experiments had been great successes. The ship crews had embraced the darkness within themselves. Humans were such easily manipulated creatures. They were prisoners to their own lusts and ambitions. The Thaarn knew how to feed those desires.

First, he must deal with Avon. Tear him down in the eyes of the woman who would be the queen of a god.

The Thaarn cackled with glee. A blind man with a mind that was damaged. It had been great fun running Avon around in circles. He could almost taste Avon's growing frustration and anger. And a sliver of fear slicing away at his confidence.

It was time to check on his other experiments.

**********

The Thaarn laughed as Avon found himself in the engineering section instead of the flight deck. The look on his face was priceless.

The Thaarn was glad that he was having the experiments recorded. When he needed some entertainment, he would replay this moment with Avon. The point in time when the man began to doubt his own sanity.

There was not much else of interest here. Avon would undoubtedly try to reach the flight deck again. The man refused to give up.

Scanning through the monitors, the Thaarn found another one of his test groups.

**********

_Drawing!_ The Thaarn was nearly apoplexic. For a moment he thought he had accessed the wrong room. The last time he had observed this group, they had been at each other's throats.

They were soldiers. Violence came naturally to them. They should not be…sketching! Not when he had accessed the dark things that troubled their psyches.

He hoped the other groups were doing better.

**********

It was the stuff of legends and nightmares. A creature who was part man, part animal. With his superior mental abilities and technology, the Thaarn had brought out the beast and gave it control. The man called Argus was buried deep within his own mind. Most likely screaming at what he had become. The Thaarn smiled and watched.

The creature had singled out a prey. Its ears were pricked up at attention and its nose twitched. The Thaarn admired the raw power in the creature's body. He could use this one in his army.

The beast took a step forward and almost fell over. It gave a yelp of surprise and then low grumble emanated from its chest.

This was so comical that the Thaarn laughed at the clumsiness of the normally graceful creature.

The beast took a step again and this time fell to its knees. The Thaarn sat up in alarm. Something was wrong. The creature began making other sounds. It was almost as if it was communicating with someone.

Do wolves speak to themselves, he wondered with amusement. He wished he could read the creature's mind. His own psi abilities, although far superior to Cally's, wasn't fully compatible with the human brain. The ability to read their minds was intermittent and the thoughts had to be strong.

He could sense the darkness easily. The Thaarn had a special affinity to it. But the rest, especially thoughts that did not carry a strong emotional impact, often eluded him.

The creature was on the move again, running after the one called Vila. It seemed as if it was only a momentary lapse. The Thaarn was looking forward to a display of ruthless efficiency.

The Argus creature caught up to its prey.

The Thaarn leaned forward, his eyes eager with anticipation.

Why is it trying to talk again? Why isn't it killing Vila? Is this normal behaviour for a wolf?

On the Thaarn's monitor, Vila said, "There's a fleet out there. It's coming this way. I didn't know what to do."

The creature straightened up in alarm and immediately ran in the direction of the flight deck.

The Thaarn wasn't surprised at the news of the fleet. He had been tracking this particular group for several hours. He was certain that they had been sent to investigate the strange happenings on the other three ships.

More resources for his army. He wasn't quite ready for them yet but it was convenient having them here. They were hardly a danger to him. Their scanners were blind to his ship's presence.

The Thaarn was disappointed. He had been looking forward to some old-fashioned blood and violence. Never mind, there were other experiments.

**********

The psychostrategist said, "I will never be able to stop caring about you, Reya. But…I think…I can let go of you now."

The naked woman beside him said, "I'm glad."

The Thaarn nearly fell out of his chair. _What happened? _

On his monitor, more words were exchanged between Reya and Sester and then they began getting dressed. There was no hint of lust or anything interesting.

The Thaarn was not pleased. This group was proving to be a failure.

Sester asked, "Can we still be friends?"

_Friends! _ The Thaarn ran a diagnostic on his machines. They all reported to running at one hundred percent efficiency. _These two should still be caught up in their own desires_. Obviously he needed to fine-tune his technology. And boost the wave distributor.

"No. Nothing like that. I think something's wrong," said Sester.

_The psychostrategist suspects something. _They had a reputation of being feared for their intellect. It appeared that it may be true. This was another man the Thaarn could not allow to live.

A check on an adjacent screen lifted the Thaarn's flagging spirits. The creature was nearing. This may not be a complete failure after all.

As Reya and Sester left the room, fully clothed, the Thaarn had an expectant smile on his face.

**********

The Thaarn watched with great satisfaction as the beast gave a menacing growl and launched itself at Sester, knife in hand, ready to do what it did best. His heart beat with excitement as a drop of blood gathered at the sharp tip. One slice and it would be over.

He had to wake Cally up to witness this.

Reya shouted for Argus to stop.

The Thaarn was about to rouse Cally when he hesitated. He didn't want Cally to miss this but…there was something wrong again. The creature seemed to be talking to itself.

_What is it doing? _The Thaarn had a bad feeling about this.

The woman on the screen shouted, "Argus, you're going to kill him!"

The Thaarn was mesmerized by the unfolding drama. The creature looked at the woman and then it whined and gave a mournful howl.

Reya fell to her knees and put her arms around him. "I will never love anyone else. No matter what else happens. I need you to believe that, Argus."

The Thaarn slumped in his seat. He was starting to develop a severe pain between the eyes. It was a good thing that he hadn't woken Cally for this. This was intolerable. The experiment on this ship was proving to be a total failure. What could have gone wrong? Why did it work on the other three ships and not this one?

_Perhaps another thought wave_. He began the laborious task of setting up the power grid again. _This time a stronger one._

It might cause some of the weaker minds to overload. No matter. The weaker ones would have been killed eventually.

Perhaps he could clone the creature. An army of those would be invincible, minus the pesky human element. He was certain that Argus had somehow influenced the creature. It was inconceivable but so had the other things he had witnessed on this ship. If he could not suppress the human part of its mind, then that part would have to be destroyed.

There was still one annoying limitation of the machine. The subjects had to be conscious in order to affect their minds. A brief check told him that everyone was currently awake.

**********

As the Thaarn prepared the machine, Argus stopped the mishap with the boarding party and met up with Admiral Tarkov. They were all heading towards the flight deck for a conference.

Reya touched Argus's arm. "Can I talk to you?"

Argus said, "If you will excuse me for a moment, Admiral."

"Of course. Security matters are important."

Argus hung back and asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"About earlier…"

"You don't have to say anything. I believe you," he said simply. "Was there anything else?"

Glancing to make sure that the others were out of sight, Reya placed her palm on his chest. The strong beat of his heart and the warm energy of his body were reassuring. "You might want to stop by our cabin."

Argus covered her hand with his and said, "Maybe later. We don't have time now."

Reya sighed. "You need to put some clothes on."

He looked down at himself. "Oh. I suppose I should."

A smile of affection softened Reya's normally hard face. "You should."

"Alright. Have you seen Avon or Cally?"

" No. That was the other thing I wanted to say. I will look for them and Vila and Corinne and anyone else missing."

"Get one of the teams to help you."

As she left, the Wolf remarked with approval, Reya-mate is concerned with one's dignity and she is very wise. She is a good mate.

Argus said wistfully as he headed towards his cabin,_ Yes she is_.

If one must wear clothing, can one find less restrictive coverings?

**********

Avon's finger was poised over the button that would send the noxious gas throughout the ship.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Eleven

Argus rushed into his cabin, threw open the cupboard, pulled out the first shirt his hand touched and quickly shrugged it on.

Is it the requirement of a pack leader to wear this colour? asked the inquisitive Wolf.

Closing the fastenings, Argus grimaced at the intrusion of the imaginary creature in his head. There was no time to wonder if he was going insane. _No. Why do you ask?_

They are all the same colour.

Argus stared at the cupboard. _I…hadn't thought about it before. _He realized with shock that they were similar in style to the black uniform of his old commando days. It was amazing that Reya hadn't said anything. _I used to wear clothes like these when I was in the army._

The Wolf in his head sneezed and shook its muzzle. One has memories of this army pack.

Argus had put on a pair of briefs and had been reaching for trousers when his hand paused. _You do?_

The Wolf shook its head vigorously. One has dark dreams. One is compelled to hunt human creatures for the safety of the pack.

_Maybe I'm not going insane_, thought Argus. _The Wolf in my head isn't just a figment of my imagination. What am I saying…_

The creature barked-laughed. One is very real.

_That's what a figment of my imagination __**would**__ say, _said Argus.

One must ponder this.

Argus began pulling on a pair of black trousers and absently wondered if he _should_ have more variety in his wardrobe. Did Reya have any preferences?

One's mate does not require one to be clothed.

Argus nearly choked and fell over with half a leg in his trousers. The idea of the Wolf and Reya. He shuddered.

She is one's mate, said the Wolf with an agreeable dip of its muzzle.

_You mean, __**my**__ mate, _said Argus decisively_._

Yes, one's mate.

_Now, just a minute._

Does one not have responsibilities to attend to?

_We're going to talk about this later, _said Argus as he tightened the belt around his waist and headed back to the flight deck.

**********

Sester had been reflecting on the nature of wolves and other strange happenings on the ship when Lt. Dain arrived on the flight deck with the Admiral. The other soldiers had been assigned by Reya to secure the ship and locate all the missing members of the crew. The Admiral sent his own men back to his flagship and stayed on to speak to Argus.

Lt. Dain spotted Sester sitting on the couches and said, "This is…"

"The name's Chuck, Admiral," said Sester good-naturedly as he stood up and extended his hand.

The Admiral shook it in a crushing grip that made Sester's lips curl up in a stiff wince-concealing smile. Tarkov asked, "You're one of the civilian members of the crew?"

"Not quite," said Sester, placing his hand behind him and trying to shake some circulation back into his hand.

Tarkov's eyes narrowed. He could always spot a troublemaker. "And what do you do on this ship, Chuck?"

"As little as possible if Argus had his way."

Dain said quickly, "He's a guest onboard, sir."

"Usually an unwanted one," quipped Sester.

"A guest?" the word passed over the Admiral's tongue as if was an alien concept. "Are there many onboard?"

Dain answered, "He's the only one at present, sir."

The Admiral nodded. "Good." His eyes had been roving the flight deck with a look of wonder. He stopped short of checking out the control panels and instrumentation but it was clear that he would have liked to. "This is an incredible vessel. I've heard of the _Liberator_ of course. This is a similar ship?"

"So I understand, sir," said Dain.

"Do you know how they came by it?" asked Tarkov.

"I don't know, sir. Any details would have to be directed to the Commander," said Dain.

"Of course." Tarkov ran his fingers lightly along the ledge in front of Zen. "What I could do with a fleet of these…"

Sester had a light friendly expression on his face but his mind was studying the Admiral carefully. He slipped in casually, "You could take over the galaxy."

The Admiral turned slowly and faced him sternly. "Who are you?"

"Someone too curious for my own good," said Sester with an ingenuous smile.

There was an awkward silence as the two men stared at each other, an air of challenge between them.

Finally, Tarkov said, "Then it's a good thing that I have no designs on taking over the galaxy."

"I never thought you did," said Sester.

"Then why…" Tarkov favoured him with a hard, penetrating glare.

"I'm a troublemaker." A barest of smiles lifted the corner of his lips. "But you already knew that."

"How…" It was something Tarkov had thought, but he never voiced his impressions. "You must be another Auronar."

"It would be much less work if I were," said Sester. "But no. I'm human. At least, _some_ people still think I am."

"I can see why you're an _unwanted_ guest."

Sester chuckled affably. "Be glad I'm not yours."

The Admiral nodded curtly. "How do you know I have no interest in taking over the galaxy? Or at least the Federation?"

"If you did, Argus wouldn't trust you," said Sester matter-of-factly.

Tarkov looked at him squarely, trying to pin down this man who seemed to know more than he should. "He told you this?"

Sester shook his head slightly in amusement at such an idea. "I'm the last person he would trust."

"Do you always like making things more complicated than they are?"

"Have you ever considered that people often make matters _less_ complicated than they are?"

"That's nonsense," Tarkov snorted in derision.

Argus came down the steps, his eyes glaring suspiciously at Sester who seemed far too pleased with himself.

**********

The key pad was smooth under Avon's finger. He'd never noticed tactile sensations this strongly before he lost his sight. It was now one of the few things that kept him connected to the real world.

An undeniable fact. Atoms vibrating at difference frequencies; pulsating energies exerting force on each other.

He pressed the button.

**********

The Thaarn was ready, his hand reaching for the control that would send a river of thought waves towards his intended victims. He glanced with eagerness at the monitors that kept track of his test subjects.

They were all…passed out? A screech of anger and frustration echoed through the would-be god's ship.

**********

After the Thaarn calmed down to less than boiling level, he checked all of the monitors, scrolling through each of the test groups. The crew was still alive at least. But something had knocked them out.

_Avon! _On the screen, the blind man was feeling his way to the door.

Of the _engine_ room.

"What is he still doing there?" The Thaarn was not pleased when people didn't do what he wanted them to do. "He should be bumbling around trying to find the flight deck!" The Thaarn had been looking forward to watching the show. It was entertaining.

The Thaarn's lips curled downwards. It was inconceivable but Avon must have managed to knock out the crew. A visual check of the engineering section revealed Avon's handiwork. The Thaarn snarled.

How had Avon done this? Blind men should be helpless. He should not be running around ruining the plans of far superior beings!

It must be luck. Or an accident.

And bad timing. Now the Thaarn would have to wait until the crew woke up before he used the thought wave. He wondered if he could do anything with the other ships. Someone should be missing the Admiral eventually. They would most likely look for him if he didn't report in. Then they'd try to revive the crew.

He should kill Avon now before the man made more of a nuisance of himself.

But not yet. Cally would be upset. Women were such sensitive creatures.

He might be able to take advantage of this situation. He was determined that Avon would not thwart his efforts.

"Cally, wake up."

**********

Cally found her disembodied self in the engineering section, watching Avon trying to feel his way to the door. Because of the Thaarn's interference, this was virtually impossible and he was becoming increasingly frustrated.

She shook her head in anger at the Thaarn's accusations. _No! I don't believe you!_

The Thaarn said again, _Avon killed the other members of the crew to save himself, Cally. He used poisonous gas. He didn't care who he killed - not even you - as long as it eliminated the danger to him. He is not worthy of your devotion. Do I have to show you the bodies again?_

Cally fell silent. Was this a good sign?

After a long moment, she said, _I want to see the bodies._

Smelling victory, the Thaarn smiled, _Of course. It is hard to believe that someone we trust would betray us._

_No. I want to see the bodies, __**for myself**__. In person._

This was not good. He couldn't possibly let her see the **live** bodies. _I can't let you do that._

_Then I won't believe you. This is all a trick in my mind. I know Avon would never do this. He would give his life to save mine. He would never sacrifice mine to save his own._

Nothing was turning out the way the Thaarn had planned. This was extremely aggravating.

Cally said, _I challenge you to a contest._

_You wish to challenge me?_

_You want me to be your queen. How do I know that you're fit to be emperor?_

The Thaarn wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

Cally continued, _I would agree to be your queen if you prove to me that you're worthy._

_That's preposterous! I'm a god! No one is more fit than I am. Certainly not a puny human._

Cally said acidly, _If I remember correctly, you're the one who's puny. Remember that I've seen your physical appearance. I refuse to be queen of someone who is not worthy. My heart belongs to the one who is able to succeed._

The Thaarn scoffed, _A contest against a blind man whose mind is damaged? He might as well give up before he begins._

_You're right, it isn't a fair contest. He will need some help._

The Thaarn sniggered._ You're expecting a fair one? _

_I would expect nothing less._

His queen was clever but the Thaarn was even more. _Very well. I will give him the one you call Argus._

_So you lied to me. Avon didn't kill them. _

The Thaarn blinked at being caught in his own error. _You're right._

She said with angry accusation, _You were trying to make me believe he would kill me to save himself!_

The Thaarn never apologized to anyone. He was not about to start now. _A slight misleading. Under more urgent circumstances, he would have._

_I demand that since Avon does not have psi abilities, you will refrain from using yours. Avon will try to stop you using whatever means he can. You will try to stop him using your thought machine only._

_The thought machine amplifies my psi abilities for broad range access._

_Then only use your abilities with the thought machine._

The Thaarn realized that he had to make some concessions since he had been caught lying. He couldn't have his queen thinking he was completely without honour. _Even if it means killing him?_

_I suspect that you were going to kill him regardless. You cannot allow anyone with a brain like Avon's to live._

_Very well, I accept this contest. If Avon wins then you and the others are free. If I win, then they all belong to me, including you._

_Can I speak to Avon?_

_You can tell him about the contest. I will give you one minute. _There was a brief pause. _You can speak to him now. He will hear you._

Cally projected, * _Avon. _*

Avon stopped and tilted his head to listen. * _Cally? _*

*_ Yes, Avon. It's me. _*

His mental voice was full of concern. *_ Where are you? Are you safe? _*

*_ For the moment. I am no longer on the ship. _*

His brows knitted. *_ Do you know where you are? _*

* _Avon, I don't have much time. It's the Thaarn. He's the one who is responsible for everything that's happened on the ship. _*

*_ I had suspected someone was manipulating my mind. _*

*_ You did? _*

* _It was conceivable that I could become lost on the ship, but not in the same room. That stretched credibility. _*

*_ The Thaarn wants me to be his queen. _*

*_ Ah. _*

*_ He has agreed to a contest to decide on the outcome._ *

*_ What kind of contest? _*

*_ I'm sorry, Avon but it's one between you and him. You will try to stop him and he will try to stop you. _*

* _It is rather primitive. Fighting for the favour of a female. I take it he would have killed me otherwise? _*

*_ Yes. _*

* _I am somewhat at a disadvantage_ * Avon said dryly. * _But I imagine that doesn't concern him. _*

*_ He's agreed to suspend use of his psi abilities. _*

*_ Charitable of him. Does he also plan to poke his eyes out for the duration? _*

*_ He's agreed to give you Argus. _*

*_ That may be a bit of a problem. They're all currently unconscious. I had to knock them out. _*

*_ Avon. He tried to make me believe that you would kill me, all of us, just to save yourself._ *

An angry snarl appeared on Avon's face. * _I would never do that to you._ *

*_ That's what I told him. _*

Cally directed her thoughts to the Thaarn. _Will you wake Argus?_

_I thought you didn't want me to use my psi abilities for this contest except with the thought machine?_

_Just to wake Argus._

_You are very demanding._

_I am your queen._

The Thaarn chuckled. _Very well. _There was a pause as he concentrated. _Done. He's awake, _he said with a smile on his face that Cally could not see. _Your time with Avon has expired. Say your goodbyes._

*_ Avon... _* her mental projection was full of warmth and love that her words could not express.

Avon concentrated his own mind. His simple words were full of his regard for her. * _Thank you. _*

**********

The Wolf woke and found itself looking through the eyes of the human that it shared the body with. It didn't wonder that this was a strange thing. It had learned to accept things as they came and do its best for the pack.

There was danger! It could smell the scent of it in the air long before its eyes spotted the other humans who appeared to be sleeping. The Wolf nudged the young one by the shoulder and barked sharply for it to wake up. Now was not the time for rest, the pack was in danger.

This sleep was unnatural. The young one did not wake. The Wolf gave a partial howl-whine of worry. There was no sharp smell of fresh blood or injury to its body. Was the young one ill? The Wolf lifted its head to look at the other two. It was a strange illness that could hurt more than one at the same time.

Where was the Alpha human? One needed answers to strange questions.

It padded over and nudged the others, snarling as it came upon the one it did not like. The Wolf wondered if it would be acceptable for a pack leader to nip it a little while it was asleep. This one needed to know who was Alpha.

The Wolf bared its teeth and nudged it harder. It was fast asleep. With a loud exhale, it sighed and left it alone. Lifting his head, the Wolf took a deep breath and gave the howl of danger to its pack; a loud, rolling sound that echoed throughout the ship.

Its ears pricked up for an answering response but heard none. This worried it. Huffing with resolve, the Wolf went to scout the rest of its territory for the others and kill any enemies it could find.

Chapter Twelve

_Third corridor. Turn right. Two corridors. Turn left._

Avon's steps were confident as he headed to the flight deck. With a guiding hand, he kept a light touch on the cold walls. Now that he knew what was happening, at least partially, his world made sense again.

Not being able to trust the mental map in his head had been annoying at first, then frustrating and finally deeply disturbing. It was comforting to know that he hadn't been losing his mind.

The tips of his fingers absently registered surface sensations. Normally minor indentations and imperfections in the ship's panels, unnoticeable to the naked human eye, became metallic landscapes beneath his receptive fingers. An unimportant detail, but such sensations were part of his world now.

_Where is Argus?_

Being given help he couldn't find meant it was no help at all. With the internal comms still disabled, he had to rely on shouting.

"Argus! Follow the sound of my voice! Argus!"

It seemed a long time since he had woken up and found himself seemingly alone on the ship. Nothing mattered now except defeating the Thaarn and rescuing Cally and the others.

"I'm going to count until you find me!"

He had a purpose and a plan but first he needed to get to the flight deck. The Thaarn's vessel had to be located and the ship's systems checked.

"One!"

How long did he have? What technologies did the Thaarn possess?

"Two!" He felt an edge and turned right.

"Three!"

Was the crew still on the ship or were they all with Cally?

"Four!"

The Thaarn had formidable technology the last time they met.

"Five!"

Energy isolators to render force weapons useless and a full field gravity generator to capture any unfortunate ship.

"Six!"

Had the Thaarn developed the ones to move planets?

"Seven!"

If so then they were all in trouble.

"Eight!"

But he was doing something different this time.

"Nine!"

Manipulating minds on a mass level.

"T…Ah!" Avon fell crashing to the ground.

**********

The Wolf's footprints were light, barely touching the ground as it raced through the ship, looking for its pack mates. It felt lighter now without all the restricting clothes. It didn't know how humans could stand such itchy materials on their bodies. One did not require such elaborate coverings but it did keep the most important one.

All the humans it found had the strange sleep. It must find its mate first. That was most important. The Wolf lifted its head and sniffed. The stale, tasteless air made its nose wrinkle. No smell of its mate yet. It would have to search farther.

Its sensitive ears caught a faint vibration of sound coming from the right. "Nine!"

The Wolf cocked its head and a growl formed low in its throat. It was a human voice. "T…Ah!"

All of its pack had the strange sleep. The voice must belong to the one who caused it. It was an enemy. The Wolf knew how to deal with enemies. Its lips peeled back in a meaningful snarl and it rushed towards the voice.

**********

Avon rubbed a sore knee. Fortunately, he had landed on something soft.

With shock, he realized he couldn't feel his hand on his knee. Searching fingers felt around. It was a knee. _But not my own._

Avon rolled away quickly and sat up. Finally a member of the elusive crew. It meant they were still onboard.

He bent forward and felt along the body. _Not overly muscular. _That narrowed down the possibilities considerably. _The clothes_…_Vila!_

A brief pleased grin lifted the corners of his mouth. _Unfortunately, I can't say you're a sight for sore eyes. _He placed his hand over Vila's heart, just to verify he was still among the land of the living. Strong steady thumps.

There were two breathing sounds. Avon reached out and felt for the other body. Soft, round…he jerked his hand away. And feminine. _It must be Corinne._

They were both safe at least.

Avon held the wall for support as he got up. He still had to find...Ah! Something big and hard rammed into him, smashing Avon to the ground and knocking the breath out of him.

At the same time, his stunned mind heard a low, menacing growl and he felt a sharp knife-edge along his throat.

Recognizing the growling sound, Avon gasped angrily, "Argus! Are you insane?"

The heavy, muscular body pinned him to the floor but he could feel it tense, accompanied by a questioning growl.

The growl was definitely Argus-like but this was not Argus. It was an animal in human form. Muscular…it _was_ Argus. But it wasn't.

Avon demanded, "Argus! Get off me!"

The Wolf had been prepared to kill this human because it was hurting one of its pack but the name stopped it. It gave another growl, this time one that rose in tone, indicating a question.

This human knew the other's name. It gave the Alpha orders. The Wolf shook its head in confusion. Was this one of its pack? But there could not be two Alphas. The Wolf dropped the knife and sniffed the human.

Its eyes narrowed. This one was injured. It could smell the weakness of its body. This must be the Alpha before, but injury made it lose its position in the pack. It was no longer the Alpha but it did not accept it.

The Wolf nodded its head vigorously as it worked this out. This one had to learn its new position in the pack. A light lesson. Not too hard because of its injury. The Wolf raised his hand to administer a light cuff to the side of its head along with a warning bark.

_No! _A sluggish mind pushed its way back to consciousness. _Don't hurt Avon!_

The Wolf barked in annoyance and shook its head. Did the Alpha-human not understand this must be done?

_No! _The voice was stronger this time. _He's human. Not a wolf. It works differently._

Avon attempted to push him off but trying to move an armoured vehicle with one hand would have been easier. He said coldly, "What are you doing?"

Argus tried to speak, "Sorry, Avon. It's a long story." But it came out in barks and howls. He said to the Wolf, _Let me have control. I need to talk to Avon._

One's pack cannot have two Alphas, the Wolf said, shaking its head stubbornly.

_This pack does. Now get off him and let me talk to Avon._

The Wolf huffed and carefully lifted its leg from the injured Alpha.

Argus placed his hand on Avon's shoulder and helped him up. "Sorry, Avon. It wasn't me."

"What the hell is going on?"

"I…" How was he going to explain this without sounding crazy? "I have a wolf in my head."

"_On_ your head?" Avon tilted his head and regarded him with sightless and what would have been incredulous eyes.

"No. It's…" He tapped the side of his temple, "Inside my head. It talks to me and sometimes, it has control."

Avon backed up warily. "You're possessed." He never thought he would experience the day when another member of the crew, other than Cally, was possessed by an alien.

"No, I'm not. I mean...I don't think I am. Am I?" He hadn't considered alien before. In this crazy universe, anything might be possible. Argus put his hand to his head and asked the creature, _Are you an alien?_

One does not understand alien.

_It's something not human_.

It said with pride, One is Wolf.

_No. I mean, not of the Earth._

One is of the pack.

_But is that pack on Earth... _He held his head in both hands, "Oh my god, Avon! I think, I'm going insane."

Avon, who had been listening to assorted animal sounds and the random word that escaped Argus's lips during his conversation with the Wolf, said dryly, "The thought had crossed my mind. How long have you had this delusion?"

Argus asked the Wolf, _How long have you been here?_

One just arrived.

_I mean in my head._

One does not understand the question.

Avon asked, "Are you talking to the wolf in your head? The _imaginary_ one?"

"I…" He let out an exhale of exasperation. "This is bad."

Can one be of assistance? asked the Wolf helpfully.

"No!" Argus shouted.

Avon shook his head. "We don't have time for your mental problems."

"You're right." Argus bent down to check Vila and Corinne. "Something's knocked the crew out."

"I did that."

Argus looked up in surprise. "You?"

"We were being boarded."

"That was the Admiral. He's a friend." Reassured that Vila and Corinne were fine, he stood up. "He was chasing an invisible anomaly when he found us."

Avon's head tilted in thought. "That must be the Thaarn."

"Who or what is the Thaarn?"

"You said it was invisible?" asked Avon as his information hungry mind processed this.

"Yes, the Admiral said it caused havoc on three Federation ships. On one of them, they all killed each other. It must be what happened to us."

"Are the scanners working?"

"Zen scanned but he didn't find anything."

"It must have an anti-detector screen."

Argus said, "It's probably moved on though. Off to find another ship."

"It's still here."

"How do you know that?"

"Cally is his prisoner."

"What?" Argus exclaimed in alarm.

"We've met the Thaarn before. He has an interest in Cally."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Avon."

"We must get her back."

"We will," Argus said fiercely. He was instantly in tactical mode. "You know the Thaarn. What do we need to do?"

One can do something now? the Wolf asked.

_Yes, now let me work._

The Wolf blew out a breath of satisfaction and its body flooded with liquid energy. Argus became even more alert and he felt very good. He was ready for action.

Avon held out his hand. "We need to go to my lab."

Argus guided the hand to his shoulder and they began moving down the corridor.

The shoulder was bare. Avon asked with a very dry tone, "Are you naked?"

Argus groaned and stopped suddenly, causing Avon to bump into him. Argus rolled his eyes upwards to look for help somewhere above the ceiling. He said in a tight voice, "Yes."

He asked the Wolf in irritation, _Why did you take my clothes off?_

They itched.

_I suppose I should be thankful you left my briefs on?_

One needed them.

Argus said to Avon, "Not _entirely_ naked." They began moving again. "It was the Wolf's fault. He said they itched."

"You're placing the blame on your delusion?"

"I…need help."

"No doubt. Can you manage for now?"

"Don't worry about me. Let's just get you to the lab."

"Cally has arranged a contest. We need to defeat the Thaarn before he can complete his plan."

"And how do we do that?"

"You'll have to trust me."

"You're not going to tell me?"

"The Thaarn is monitoring us."

"Alright. Why do you think he hasn't done anything yet?" They neared the lab. "We're almost there."

"The subjects may need to be conscious for his machine to work."

"Oh." Argus laughed. "And you just knocked them all out? That's clever."

"It was luck," Avon said with a frown of disgust. He didn't like relying on chance.

They entered the lab. "We're here."

"I need ORAC."

Chapter Thirteen

"I need ORAC," said Avon as Argus guided him into a chair.

Argus reacted in surprise, "But isn't ORAC…"

"Yes, I wish he was here too. We could use his expertise," said Avon with a touch of regret.

Puzzled eyes were replaced with comprehending ones. "Yes, couldn't we all. I'll…get your supply tray."

"Do that." In his lab, Avon knew the location of every item. While Argus went to locate the cabinet where he kept ORAC's parts, Avon walked over to the instrument station. The familiar tools were certainties beneath his fingers as he drew several out.

Argus carried over a large, multi-coloured tray and carefully set it down on the workbench. He was amazed as Avon moved around gathering equipment. There was no hesitation of movement and only the occasional reaching out with a hand to verify his exact location. It was almost as if Avon weren't blind in here.

With a handful of tools, Avon came back over to the table and set the items down.

"That's amazing," said Argus. "I could almost swear you could see."

"I can." Avon touched his temple. "In my head. As long as no one moves the items. Slide the tray over here."

Argus pushed the tray to Avon's side of the table and watched as Avon touched the clear covered compartments and the silvery numbers that glinted in the overhead lights. He appeared to be counting. Compartments across and down. He slid several open, drew out complicated looking pieces and set them down in front of him. "I will need you to take readings."

"Alright." Argus came over and sat next to him as Avon began working on the pieces of ORAC.

Knowing he preferred working in peace, Argus kept silent. Besides, he got the message that they shouldn't talk about ORAC. Avon didn't want the Thaarn to know what ORAC was. Argus had no idea why this was but it didn't matter.

When does one fight? asked the Wolf in his head.

_We __**are**__ fighting_, said Argus.

The Wolf cocked its head and then looked around.

_Stop moving my head_, said Argus with annoyance.

One is searching for the battle.

_It's here._

One must be mistaken.

_Avon is making a weapon to fight._

The Wolf leaned over to look at what Avon was doing.

_Stop that!_ said Argus.

One is curious.

_Well, stop moving my head._

A pack must not have two Alphas but this one is clever with its hands. One will accept him.

For some reason, the approval of the Wolf was important to Argus. _I'm glad_.

Avon raised his head and turned in his direction. "Are you trying to be quiet or are you talking to the wolf?"

"I'm…uh…" A flush of embarrassment reddened Argus's cheeks.

"I thought so." Avon's voice was making note of a fact. He turned his attention back to the equipment in his hands.

Argus asked worriedly, "Do you think I'm going crazy?"

Without lifting his head, Avon noted vaguely, "Frequently."

"Oh." Argus's shoulders slumped.

Avon's hands paused. "I don't think you _are_ crazy."

"Is there a difference?"

"Frequently."

Argus frowned. "You wouldn't want to explain that, would you?"

The corner of Avon's mouth twitched in a near-smile. "What's happening to you must be a result of the Thaarn's machine."

Argus straightened up. "That _must_ be it."

"Unfortunately, we don't know how it works. The wolf persona may be something implanted in your mind or it was something that was drawn from your mind."

Argus's brows knitted in thought. "I do remember a lesson about wolves when I was young. Group dynamics and social theory. I don't remember being scared of them."

"This was before the Academy?"

"Yes. Strange to remember it after all this time."

Avon shook his head slowly in thought, "It's unlikely."

"But it's the only wolf-like thing I remember from the past."

"It must be something else. An implanted persona." Avon turned on a blue energy arc and felt for the right wire.

Argus asked, "Avon, should you be using that without your eyes? You might weld something."

Finding the one he wanted, Avon applied the bright arc to it and said impassively, "That's the idea."

"I meant by mistake."

"I don't plan to make a mistake." He felt for the next two wires.

"I know, you're perfect, but mistakes happen. You don't plan them. I want to help. Not to mention, I don't want to see you lose any fingers."

Avon raised his head and regarded him with sightless eyes before flicking the switch on the energy welder. Wordlessly he gave it to him handle first.

He has the pride of an Alpha, remarked the Wolf.

_He's Avon_.

Argus turned the welder back on. "Which ones?"

Avon felt for the two wires.

The Wolf said, One cares for him. It wasn't a question.

_Yes. He's my friend. It's...a special pack relationship among humans._

The Wolf wanted to understand. He is not one's mate?

Argus asked with surprise,_ Why would you think that?_

A mate is special to one.

_No. He's not but..._

Avon said, "Stop talking to the wolf and pay attention."

"Sorry."

"These two."

Argus looked at the two indicated wires and waited for Avon to remove his fingers. "How did you know I was talking to the Wolf?" He applied the welder. The wires turned white hot and fused together.

"Your breathing is different."

"It is?" he asked, trying to listen.

"It's apparent to anyone attuned to sounds." Avon found the next wire, slid a scissor-like instrument into place and stripped it bare. "Take the frequency scanner."

Argus turned the welder off and picked up the rectangular device. "I think he likes you but he doesn't understand you." _Which makes two of us._

"You are talking about an imaginary creature," said Avon, picking up another one of ORAC's parts, this time one that had a bank of indicators, which were currently off.

"I..." Argus sighed. "...suppose I am."

One is real, said the Wolf indignantly.

Avon felt along the ends of the indicators and inserted a wire into place. Cheerfully coloured red, blue and green lights lit up. "What's the reading?"

Quickly turning on the scanner and pointing the sensor to the part, Argus said, "32.6 on the top row. Nil reading on the bottom."

"Damn. This was one of the affected circuits." He reached over to the tray and pulled out the bottom section, revealing more compartments. "I'll have to adapt a working one."

"ORAC isn't going to like this," said Argus with a grin at the idea of cannibalizing the cantankerous supercomputer. He couldn't say he was that sorry.

"It's fortunate he's out of commission then," said Avon flatly as his fingers dug into a compartment and brought out a complicated-looking cylinder.

"I wouldn't want to be here when he's back to his old self."

"He doesn't need to know." Avon yanked out two flat discs.

"It might be fun telling him."

Avon turned his head towards Argus, his face expressionless, and then a lopsided grin crossed his face.

**********

The work of a Federation President never seemed to end as Servalan called up the next urgent file for her perusal. Not that she minded. The advantages of having absolute power far outweighed the disadvantages of being without it.

She blinked weary eyes and leaned back in her seat. It was a comfortable chair with full back support and just the right feel of luxury with its smooth, almost living material, that was purported to give the user extra energy just sitting in it.

So far, she couldn't attest to its claims but it was restful when she leaned back into its welcoming confines. With a negligent finger, she scrolled through the contents of the file.

Central Security seemed to have 'misplaced' one of its top infiltration agents. He had been at the vanguard of a major operation to undermine the rebels.

This was annoying.

She would have to do something about that. Servalan had been biding her time since finding out some people at CS had been keeping information from her.

A covert group within the organization with unknown parallel interests.

This was highly unacceptable. She would get answers out of them soon, one way or another.

Snapping her fingers, she signalled one of her black-hooded attendants by the door to approach her exalted presence. They were here to fulfil her every whim. Most of them were nameless to her, except this one. She recognized the walk, the bend of the body, and the dry voice.

"How may I be of service, Madame President?" asked T-3 politely.

Servalan picked up a cup of tea on her desk and brought it to her lips, frowning slightly that it had become cold. Instead of drinking, she studied the mutoid on its reflective surface. A dark shape distorted by the light ripples caused by her breaths. "How do you think Argus is managing?"

"I don't understand."

"No. You wouldn't, would you? You don't know anything anymore. Don't you find that sad?"

"I have no emotions to feel."

"Fortunately for you," said Servalan ruthlessly as she absently took a sip and spit it out in disgust. "Bring me some hot tea."

As the mutoid went to follow her orders, her mind turned to thoughts of the man who must be in great agony right now as he tried to control the unquenchable desire for aggression. His discipline should be able to keep it in check, but it would be like a war raging inside him. At least that was what she had been told.

She had been shown test subjects nearly tearing themselves apart because the pressure was too great when they were not allowed a release. And when they were, they were like ravenous animals, no longer human until the urge to kill and destroy had been sated.

No matter how much a subject did not want to kill, they always did in the end. They had no choice. From all reports, Argus had held out the longest, but in the end, he had become their best killer.

She wasn't told how it was done but she had no interest in the mechanics. He was hers now. Between Avon and Argus, she had two of the most formidable human tools in the Federation.

Servalan wondered if she could obtain the records of Argus's conditioning. She could add them to her collection of Avon's sessions at the Detention Centre. Her tongue slid over her lips in delicious anticipation.

**********

The Wolf sniffed deeply and tilted its head. There was something wrong.

Argus carefully threaded a wire through a clear narrow tube using nothing except a magnetic probe to guide its movements_. Can you stop that? This is delicate work_._ The wire can't touch the sides._

Not understanding a word that Argus was saying, the Wolf said, Avon-Alpha is ill.

_Give me a minute_, said Argus as he continued guiding the wire along until it began to meet resistance from the negative field, and slotted it into the end. He carefully removed the probe. "Whew."

He picked up another wire from the table, one of three more, put it into the next tube and used the probe to hold it in place.

Argus blinked as his vision blurred. _I can't be tired. _He blinked hard several times. His eyes were drawn towards Avon. _Stop it, Wolf. I need my eyes._

Avon-Alpha is ill, the Wolf said firmly.

_He's been ill for a long time_, explained Argus. _Now, can I have my eyes back? This is important. _

His eyes were still targeted on Avon, who had his head down, his arms crossed over his chest, thinking. As he had been for quite a while now.

The Wolf said stubbornly for the third time and stressed, Avon-Alpha is unwell _now_. Can one not smell the illness?

The warning made Argus focus sharply on Avon and he saw what he didn't see before. The man's body was not only closed, it was tight, stressed. "Avon. Are you alright?"

There was no movement or answer. Argus guided the pin out and dropping it on the table, rushed over. He gently lifted Avon's head. Lines of pain stood out like grooves on a face that was slick and shiny with a sheen of sweat. Jaws were clenched tightly. Breathing was shallow and thready.

Argus put his hand on Avon's forehead. "You're burning up."

Ill, said the Wolf with concern and bent forward.

Argus jerked his head back_. I am __**not**__ licking Avon!_

The Wolf gave a whining howl. Avon-Alpha is hot. It moved forward again.

_Stop it! Humans have medicine. We are __**not**__ licking him._

Argus said worriedly, "Avon, why didn't you tell me?"

Avon's head stirred slightly and gasped, "Have to…finish." He began sliding from the seat. "… save Cally." Argus grabbed him by the shoulders and laid him carefully on the ground. He felt for the pulse in his neck. The beat was racing and erratic. This was just like Rane.

"It's the Shade, isn't it? You need another shot." He stood up. "I'll go and get it." And raced out.

**********

Avon was barely aware of Argus leaving the room. It took all of his effort to keep from screaming and clawing at the ground as desperate waves of agony swept through him. A painful craving that sent shivers through his body and pierced his brain with hot fires of need. He must have the drug; he could not do without it.

He curled in a ball, arms wrapping tightly around his drawn up knees. His body rocked in time with the pulsing fires in his body. Groans of anguished denial escape from his lips. He would not give in. He could not.

**********

Cally reached out towards the screen. _Avon!_

The Thaarn, who sat on a little throne in front of the viewer, said, "He cannot hear you."

"Let me speak to him. Please. He's very ill. This contest isn't fair."

"You are the one who set the conditions and I met all of them."

"No, you didn't," accused Cally. "You promised to give him Argus."

"I kept my promise," said the Thaarn.

"You gave him the beast. It wasn't Argus."

"It is a part of him you do not recognize, but it is him."

"You tricked me."

"A slight misleading. You tricked yourself."

Cally said bitterly, "You're very good at that. But it didn't work out the way you planned. The creature didn't kill Avon."

"A minor inconvenience. I will still win." The Thaarn waved dismissively with his small hand.

Cally's eyes widened at the casualness of his attitude. "You knew! About his illness."

"Just as you appear to have forgotten."

"I…" Cally's head bowed in anguish. "I wasn't thinking. It's my fault." She had been so absorbed in defeating the Thaarn and so confident in Avon that, at times, it was hard to remember that he was not a well man. "Don't make him pay for my mistake. At least, let me talk to him."

The Thaarn stared at her and then at the screen. "Very well. The others are about to wake soon, you can say your farewells."

Cally's heart fell. "How long does he have?"

"Not long." The Thaarn looked over at a control panel. "Thirty Earth minutes. Then I will turn on my thought machine. I have increased the intensity of it considerably. None of them should be able to resist. It should be quite interesting." He closed his eyes for a moment. "You can speak to him now."

Chapter Thirteen

Thought was lost; no rationality remained. All there was, was need and pain.

Avon screamed and fought against the overwhelming tide, his body thrashing, hands grasping at empty air; agony, an old enemy, had come to take him again to a place where death seemed like a welcome friend.

A faint voice entered his fevered mind. *_ Avon, hang on. _*

He clutched at the comforting presence instinctively, as a drowning man would grab onto a lifeline, but he did not have the strength to speak. All he could do was hold onto her; an anchor in a storm that kept him from drifting away, from closing himself off to the world.

*_ You must hold on, Avon. Argus is coming. Keep fighting. You have 30 minutes before the crew wakes up. _*

The survivor reached past the pain. * _Thir-ty? _*

*_ Yes, Avon! _*

A strong tide of strength and caring flowed into him, easing the agony just enough to allow him to think.

*_ Not…enough…time. The drug… _* It would take time for him to recover. He needed more than thirty minutes. The device was almost ready but it was not enough.

Cally sent him as much encouragement and strength as she could.

The Thaarn's jealous voice interrupted. _I did not say you could do that. Your time together is over._

Avon reached out, *_ Cally? _*

Silence mocked him.

The reality of his situation became clear in the darkness he could never pierce. He was at the mercy of someone who could snuff his life out at the blink of…eyes he no longer had.

The Thaarn was toying with him, playing a cruel game because he knew Avon could not win. Holding out Cally like a prize, only to take her away at the end. An illusion for a blind man.

Had the Thaarn guessed what he was doing? Was he laughing at his feeble attempts? A creature who had the technology to move planets could hardly consider him a threat. Was his failure being orchestrated like a farce? A momentary source of amusement?

It would be the ultimate irony if the ending of his life were little more than a punch line in a cruel joke.

The agony returned as the last faint whispers of Cally's presence was taken from him. A groan escaped his lips and his body curled protectively from pain that came from inside him.

_No!_ He could not accept this. As long as he had his mind, there was still a chance.

Logic whispered the impossibility of his goal. _No! _He groaned in agony and the refusal to give up. No matter how slim the chance. Cally needed him.

Avon placed his hands on the ground and rolled his tortured body over. If he could give his life to save hers, he would. Did she know that?

_Have to…try._

His will gathered and his jaw tightened as he pushed against the cold surface, trying to get up. Agony shot through him like a bolt of lightning igniting the pain receptors in his body. Avon screamed and his arms buckled.

**********

"_Avon!_" Cally yelled and stretched out her hand but it was no use, she couldn't reach him. Her fingers touched the surface of the screen, stroking Avon's body, trying to give comfort to an illusion as her mind reached out uselessly and touched nothing.

The Thaarn watched her with intense and increasingly jealous interest.

It was clear she loved Avon. It was written on her face and in the way she leaned towards the screen, reaching forward as if to dive through.

He was aware of the strength of her feelings for the human as a tidal wave of emotions rushing out, trying to give Avon comfort and strength.

It was an intimate bond he had not thought possible between an Auronar and a human. Obviously, Avon was no ordinary one. The Thaarn had not considered this weak human as a serious rival until now. This man was a threat.

The Thaarn filled with outraged anger. Cally's love should be his. He had been alone far too long with no one to touch his mind and to share the silence with. He needed her.

The solitude had almost driven him mad until Cally had come those years ago. Like a light into the darkness, she had brought colour, warmth and life. He had been waiting for her to come back.

She had broken his heart then when she tricked him and left. But fate had brought them together again and he was determined that she would be his this time. Entirely his. No human was going to stand in his way.

He thought that showing her his strength against Avon's weakness would be enough. Who would want a man who was as physically, mentally and emotionally crippled as Avon was?

Cally was a woman of great loyalty and devotion. He had shown her Avon's limitations but still she loved him and would most likely hate the one who hurt him.

The Thaarn realized he had to change his plans. Nothing seemed to be working the way he planned on this ship. He would have to try something else.

The increased amplification wave should work on the feeble human minds. Something different was required for Avon.

He had to show Cally this human was not worthy of her. It wasn't enough that Avon was weak and could never give her all that the Thaarn could give her. She had to be shown what a base creature Avon was, motivated by desires that made him unworthy of her; ones that would make him betray her.

Cally was capable of great love and selfless devotion. He was going to show her Avon wasn't.

Fear, greed, violence, lust and ambition. These were cornerstones of human weaknesses. It made them easy to influence and manipulate. Even the best of them, when faced with achieving their aims, were willing to compromise any pretence of values. Such base creatures these humans.

What if he could show her what Avon was capable of doing if the right price was offered?

**********

Cally watched in anguish as Avon writhed in agony. What was taking Argus so long?

There had been a time when she had not known what being helpless felt like. She had told Tarrant that once.

Avon had tried to get up. He had tried to fight. Her heart went out to him, filling with pride for him, had wanted to reach out and help him up. But he was weak against an enemy that was far too strong.

It was strange that after all this time, the words she remembered were ones of an enemy. Had they both lived to reach their wall?

Cally would never give up, not for herself, but for Avon?

He had given himself up so that she could live; had lived a nightmare because he had considered her life more important than his own. In many ways, she was responsible for what happened to him under Servalan.

She had a chance to do the same for him, to give up her life so that he might live.

Cally turned slowly to face the Thaarn. This was not defeat, not if she could save the man she loved. She said, "I will…"

The Thaarn help up his hand to stop her. "I have a proposal for you. You obviously care about this human. What would you say if I offered to heal him? Completely."

Cally's breath stopped for a moment. "You can do that?"

"I'm a god. I can do anything. I can give him his eyes back, the way they were before they were damaged. I can remove the agony that is tearing at his body. I can return him to the state he was when we first met many years ago."

"You would heal him completely and let him and the others go? Unharmed?"

"On one condition."

"You want me to become your queen?"

"Willingly."

Cally looked down. This was greater than she had hoped. She lifted her head to face him. "I want to see them all leave safely and I want to verify for myself that Avon is completely healed."

The Thaarn smiled magnanimously. "That will be done."

**********

Avon's eyes opened and he could see!

He was surrounded by shadows. Ones that were visible to his eyes! His heart skipped several beats. He brought his hands up. Fingers, palms, nails, pale skin, deep bend lines and ugly scars. He could see them all!

How was this possible? There was something else.

Avon uncurled his body. There was no pain. No hunger for the drug that drove out all rational thought. No aches that normally plagued his body.

He sat up. It was ridiculously, shockingly easy. He was strong again. It was as if time had turned back in his body. He felt better than he had in a long time, since this nightmare of a life had begun.

_I must be dreaming. _

He expected everything to come crashing down around him, the way it always did in his nightmares. He moved around, enjoying the unfettered and painless motions. It was good to feel healthy again.

"It's not a dream." An unfamiliar voice told him.

A bright spotlight flashed on, revealing a short alien creature sitting on a tastelessly decorated ornate throne. It was meant to be a formidable sight, and might have achieved the right effect if it had been anyone other than Avon.

"You're the Thaarn?" Avon asked.

"I'm a god."

"Not in any rational universe. Are you responsible for this?" Avon asked as he spread his arms open.

"A mere illusion. For now."

So it wasn't real. "What is the purpose of this charade?"

"I can make you whole again, as if you had never sustained any injuries."

"To what end?" Was Argus still trying to complete his instructions?

"This will determine if we need to continue wasting our time."

Avon's lips curled in sarcasm. "You think you're going to win?"

"I know I will. There isn't anything you could possibly do to defeat me. You do not have the power, the intelligence or the technology."

"That remains to be seen."

The Thaarn leaned forward a bit, his voice tempting, "How does it feel to be whole again, Avon? It's been a long time, hasn't it? My bio-scanners revealed serious injuries over a long period. It must be galling for a man like you to be completely helpless, dependent on the kindness of others. It's something you hate, don't you? To be pitied? However, what if you could be completely cured and healed? You would be strong again. You would no longer need anyone. Would that not be worth it?"

Avon would have lied if he wasn't tempted. The idea of being whole again was like a dazzling prize that had suddenly come within reach.

He could be himself again. It was almost too good an opportunity to be wasted.

Avon knew what was coming next. The Thaarn was too predictable. He would offer this tempting prize in exchange for Cally.

The Thaarn could heal him. Was this true, or was it a convenient lie? If it was real, then it was an opportunity that was too good to pass up.

Was there a way to trick him? To convince the Thaarn to heal him and then somehow, to turn around and defeat him? Once Argus managed to finish the machine and was able to activate it, it should disable the Thaarn.

This was all dependent on Argus being able to follow his instructions. It also had to be done quickly, Cally said he only had 30 minutes. He had considerably less than that now. The chance was very slim.

Should he take it? If he did and Argus wasn't able to disable the Thaarn, then he would have sold Cally for his own life. Unintentionally. But at least he would be whole and have a better chance to fight the Thaarn and rescue Cally.

Could he take the chance?

Chapter Fifteen

The Argus-Wolf raced through the corridors, effortlessly jumping over the few scattered bodies of the crew.

One's pack is waking, said the Wolf.

_"_We have to hurry_,"_ said Argus, his arms and legs pumping harder. "We don't have much time."

The stick will help Avon-Alpha? asked the sceptical Wolf, who still insisted that Avon should be licked.

"Stick?"

One is holding a stick.

Argus brought the injector up to his eyes. "It's a stick with medicine that will help him." He rushed into the lab and his face fell as he saw Avon's still body. Approaching apprehensively, he knelt down beside him and felt for a pulse.

The Wolf whine-howled with concern. The beat was weak and thready but Avon was still alive. They both breathed a sigh of relief before Argus injected the Shade.

When will Avon-Alpha wake? asked the Wolf worriedly.

"I don't know." He felt Avon's forehead. It was still hot to the touch but there wasn't much else he could do. "We have to let the drug work."

He had to finish Avon's machine before the others woke. There was no telling what would happen when the Thaarn activated his own machine.

The last time, it had brought out the Wolf. What it would bring out next time? Argus did not want to find out.

Going back to the workbench, he picked up the discarded wire and threaded it through the clear tube, holding it in place with the magnetic probe.

It looks a strange weapon, said the Wolf.

"Don't talk to me for a bit. I have to hurry."

The Wolf fell silent while Argus focused, blocking out all distractions. The instinct for danger and battle sharpened his senses, made fingers sure, steady and even quicker than they were before.

Even though the Wolf was quiet, Argus could feel its strong presence, as if they were one in this endeavour.

**********

"Have you made a decision?" asked the Thaarn.

Avon stopped pacing and turned to face him. The prize was great and the temptation irresistible; every easy, painless step he took made it even more of a draw.

He could become healthy again, no longer dependent on anyone. Most of all, he would be free, at the expense of Cally's freedom.

The other choice was less certain. He could fight and lose everything. Or he could win, Cally would be saved and he would continue the half-life he was living now.

Such a simple decision. All of the measurable benefits lay on one side. It all depended on which was more important to him.

Avon tilted his head and a smile slightly lifted the corner of his lips. It was an odd expression to have at a time when the situation was at its most urgent, but for him, it was the most appropriate.

Amidst the maze of motivations that determined his actions, there was really only one important one.

It was why he was willing to sacrifice himself in order to save Anna. And years later, to risk his life for her memory.

It was why he had taken the risk to save Blake on Terminal.

It had been this irrationality that caused him to tell his crew to abandon him at the first hint of danger, so they could be safe.

It was why he stepped into the warehouse and gave himself up to his greatest enemy in order to save Cally's life.

It was a hard decision, one against all logic and instinct for self-preservation, but at the same time, it was a very simple one for him.

Avon's hesitation wasn't regret, it was calculation - trying to find the best way to leverage the situation - but the Thaarn didn't know the difference.

The Thaarn might heal him and immediately take Cally away. If that happened, the chance of finding her again would be remote. Avon could not take that chance.

The only opportunity she had was if he went through with the contest and relied on his plan and his own abilities. This was what Cally had chosen. It meant giving up the Thaarn's tempting offer but it didn't matter.

Avon knew if Cally had been given the same choice, she would give up her own life for him. It was possible that the Thaarn was giving her the same choice. Avon could not allow her to make that sacrifice for him.

It was something they would do for each other, of this Avon was certain. Just as he had been sure of the Anna of his illusions.

The Thaarn said, "You would be whole and you would have the lives of your crew. You're a rational man, Avon. Isn't it worth it?"

Avon said coldly, "You're wrong. If you don't understand that, then she will never be yours."

"And you think she's yours?" the Thaarn snorted in derision.

"Cally belongs to no one except herself. Return me to the ship and let us finish this."

The Thaarn's face had turned bright red. He was livid that Avon was not performing as he had expected and this time, Cally had been watching. It had been a grave mistake on his part.

All of his plans were failing. He wished he had never found this accursed ship.

This was completely unacceptable. The Thaarn refused to accept failure again. The last time, he had barely escaped with his life. He had been injured by Cally and his gravity platform had been destroyed.

There was no hope she would be his willing queen now but it didn't matter. Her cooperation was a luxury he could dispense with. She belonged to him; it was all that mattered. _After_ he destroyed all those who would defy him.

With grim satisfaction, the Thaarn slid a control into place and activated the switch that would bring out the darkness.

**********

Argus closed up the case with a snap and turned it on. The machine hummed to life with white lights that flashed in a regular pattern. He hoped this was a good sign.

One is finished? The Wolf had remained silent while he worked.

"Yes. We have to bring it to the flight deck." Tucking the machine in the crook of his arm, he bent down to check on Avon. He was still unconscious but his breathing and heartbeat seemed steadier.

The air suddenly exploded with glaring light. Argus desperately threw his arm across his eyes but managed to keep his grip on the machine.

Throughout the ship, men and women collapsed as the Thaarn's amplified wave influenced their minds.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Sixteen

The Wolf woke up with a howl of complaint. The light had hurt its eyes. It flung its head left and right, trying to shake off the annoying pain.

Deep inside, dark voices whispered to it. Selfish thoughts to excite the soul, bring pleasure to the senses and stir the darkness within the heart of any man or woman. All human temptations, which meant nothing to the Wolf. It shook its head and sneezed. It had more important things to do than to listen to silly voices it could not understand. The pack was in danger.

The Wolf uncurled its body and stood up, raising its head to sniff the air. The scent of aggression and fear made its hackles rise. It looked down at the object that was still gripped tightly in its hands.

The strange weapon. It must be used but the Wolf didn't know how.

The Argus-Alpha was gone again. The Wolf howled, its high-pitched query echoing throughout the ship, more in frustration than expectance of an answer.

The proud creature shook its head and sneezed, and looked down at the wounded Alpha. Avon was still asleep.

The Wolf knelt down and sniffed his scent. Argus-Alpha's medicine worked. Avon-Alpha did not smell as ill now. The Wolf licked his face and nuzzled his neck. He was no longer as hot. This was good.

The Wolf nudged his shoulder and gave a sharp bark. Avon-Alpha must wake. The pack was in danger. It passed its wet tongue over Avon's cheek and nose, trying to rouse him.

Avon gasped and groaned as he readjusted to being back in his own body, and the aches and pains that were his constant companions.

Something warm, close and…WET was licking his face. He struck out blindly with both fists. There was a yelp of complaint as the licking stopped and the creature's quick reflexes moved it out of the way of the blows.

It gave a short bark of urgency and remembered to form its mouth for human speech. "A-von-Al-pha. Wa-ke."

"Argus?" Avon asked in none-too-pleased surprise. He wiped the slobber from his face with the back of his hand. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The Wolf tried to shape its mouth more carefully for human shapes. "Wolf."

Aching joints and muscles complained as Avon tried to sit up. Strong arms surrounded his shoulders. Avon immediately reacted, hunching his back protectively and nearly struck out again before he realized the creature was trying to help. He relaxed and reluctantly let it lift him up to a sitting position. One of these days, he would accept people's help with better humour, but he doubted it. No matter what Cally said.

He cocked his head to listen as he asked, "You're the creature inside Argus?"

Had Argus lost the battle with the creature he believed possessed his body or had the Thaarn already activated the thought wave? Neither possibility was good news.

"One…is…Wolf."

The delusion was complex, complete with the appropriate Wolf-like manner and speech difficulties for a creature unfamiliar with human speech.

This was interesting. Avon wondered how deeply this persona extended and how detailed it was. He dug into his encyclopaedic mind and tried to remember everything he could about wolves, which was miserably little. Information about nearly extinct Earth animals, or any creature for that matter - including human - wasn't required study for someone meant to work only with computers and machines.

A smile of irony lifted the corner of Avon's lips. He had found Argus, but the man still couldn't help him.

If this was a delusion and not just a trick by the Thaarn, then intensive therapy was required to bring Argus back from the beast. Healing therapies was an area Avon knew nothing about, though he had a great deal of personal knowledge about the destructive ones that had been used on him at the Detention Centre.

Cold fingers of memory played along his spine, freezing his heart with dread. An involuntary shiver passed through him like an unwelcome guest making a brief visit. His jaw clenched in concentration as he pushed down the nightmarish memories that threatened to strip him of control.

Avon suspected Argus's problems, which seemed to be growing rapidly, would take months, if not years of time in an institution of some type.

There was no more time for pointless, if interesting speculations. The Thaarn awaited defeat at his hands. The only help he had was this creature. He asked it, "You've taken over his body?"

The Wolf shook its head and sneezed. "Ar-gus-Al-pha gone."

The creature still seemed to find words difficult but it didn't matter. At least it understood him. How much, remained to be seen. "Never mind that. Do you know if he finished the disruptor?"

"Rarrr?" the Wolf asked, not understanding the word.

Avon scowled. This was not going to be easy. "Argus was building something for me."

The Wolf barked in acknowledgement and nodded its head emphatically several times. "Wea-pon."

"Yes, a weapon to destroy our enemy."

The Wolf gave a double bark of excitement and sneezed. "Yes! Now?"

Avon's eyes narrowed. "You're not all that different."

The Wolf panted and its mouth opened in a wide grin. "One protects the pack."

"Yes…" Avon said thoughtfully. "You do." He held out his hand and the Wolf gave him the box. The vibrations from the activated machine thrummed through Avon's fingers. The weapon was ready.

Maybe the time for ironies was passed, though he doubted it. "Take me to the flight deck." He extended his free hand.

At that moment several black-uniformed troopers rushed in, weapons firing.

Chapter Seventeen

The Admiral's men, under the influence of the Thaarn, were convinced the ship they were docked with, was an alien-infested vessel that had to be destroyed. To that end, the dark-clad spectres of death, otherwise known as the boarding parties, were pouring through the ship, trying to remove all opposition.

Unfortunately for them, the crew of the _Justice_ did not submit easily to being killed. Lt. Dain was getting some very hands-on experience in dealing with boarding parties. There were some fierce firefights being conducted throughout the ship.

Vila and Corinne were pinned down between two groups, one their own and one the Federation troopers. Corinne still only had her training rifle and for lack of a better weapon, was learning to, with some useful suggestions by Vila, put bruises in some very painful places.

One party made it to the lab just as the Wolf and Avon were preparing to exit.

**********

The dark figures burst into the lab, firing as they saw Avon and Argus.

The Wolf had smelled them first before they entered. A low rumbling growl formed at the back of its throat, a menacing sound that made Avon jerk his hand back from a creature that seemed prepared to tear his arm off with its teeth.

"Argus!" he shouted in alarm just as the Wolf launched itself at the opening of the door, flying through the air, all teeth and muscle and no mercy.

By the time the troopers appeared at the door and saw them, they barely had time to register shock at the snarling man-creature and fire a startled, defensive burst with their rifles. One of the shots lanced the Wolf in the side, but its adrenaline-filled body didn't feel it. It only had one thing on its mind. Kill the enemy.

Its knife glinted in the ship's overhead lights, flashes of quick death that sliced into flesh and bone as the stunned and terrified troopers desperately tried to defend themselves from the beast that looked like a man. Some of them could have sworn later on that the nearly naked man had sprouted sharp fangs and a coat of sleek grey fur. It was an illusion of uncomprehending minds as they tried to understand this man who made the frightening sounds of a beast and moved with such terrifying precision.

Avon's mind moved as quickly as the Wolf's actions. The Thaarn must have activated his machine. Argus might be killing their own people or the Admiral's men. That would be unfortunate.

He hoped the Wolf was as responsive to him as Argus was. He shouted. "Wolf! Stop!"

Amidst the red heat of battle, the Wolf was almost oblivious to anything other than the overwhelming need to protect the pack and to kill the enemy. Its dark eyes flashed dangerously at the command to stop. It curled around and with lips peeled back, snarled at the one who would interrupt its actions. Fingers gripped the knife and turned it upwards.

Avon heard the Wolf falter. It was a dangerous animal. His ears had caught every frantic movement of the troopers as they shouted in fear and shock at the creature that was suddenly in their midst, snarling, slashing, and moving as quickly as lighting.

He hoped the pause was an indication that it was paying attention and not sizing him up for a bite. Becoming dinner was not on Avon's menu. "They are not the enemy! Stop! Don't kill them!"

The Wolf shook its head and sneezed in stress. It didn't know why it listened to this wounded Alpha but something inside made it stop and think. The fiery heat in its veins was still burning, driving it to kill, but Avon-Alpha said they weren't the enemy.

It gave a low, rising growl of query and annoyance and sneezed again.

The frantic, and moderately bright, troopers took the opportunity to run as fast as their legs could take them away from the wild animal that looked like a man.

The Wolf snarled in irritation and prepared to go after the cowardly enemy.

Avon's calm voice said, "Wolf. Don't go after them. The enemy has made them ill. That's why they're attacking."

"Arr?" the Wolf asked, understanding 'ill' but not what Avon was saying.

"We have to stop the enemy with this." Avon lifted the device in his hands. " Then they'll stop attacking us and, I suspect, each other."

The Wolf nodded and barked a partial understanding.

"Will you help me?"

The Wolf nodded again and gave a barking-growl. "Ar-gus-Al-pha trusts."

Avon gave a slight grin. "He's not very bright sometimes."

Wolf opened its mouth in a responding grin. "Av-on-Al-pha trusts."

Avon tilted his head and his sightless eyes stared hard at the Wolf. Had an imaginary creature just insulted him? Or had it made a joke? This incarnation of Argus did possess some intelligence. "Alright." He held out his empty hand. "Take me to the flight deck and try not to kill anyone."

The Wolf laughed and took Avon's arm.

**********

The Thaarn was moderately pleased. The two crews were trying to kill each other, this was very good. Events were not unfolding as he wished, this was very bad. The crews should be fighting amongst themselves as much as they were fighting each other. Instead, the _Justice_ crew had drawn together and were working as a team.

What kind of ship was this? The would-be god stamped its small foot in aggravation. These were humans, weren't they? Perhaps he should have checked. At least they would all kill each other and put themselves out of his misery.

His greatest source of irritation was the beast. The creature was a great disappointment. Anticipated hours of enjoyment were turning into the Avon and Wolf adventure. This was definitely not on the Thaarn's program.

There was still a ship full of trigger-happy people to get through. With all the shots being fired, surely one of them would manage to kill them, if only by accident.

The Admiral's ship was responding well. The crew there, in their paranoid delusion, was preparing to fire on the _Justice_.

He looked over at Cally; she was asleep again on the furs, courtesy of his abilities. It was unfortunate that changing her mind was not as easily accomplished as putting her to sleep. No matter, there would be time enough to work on her after Avon and the others were dead.

If the thought wave did not work, he still had the gravity generator. A much smaller version than his old one, but more than enough to crush both ships with its energy fields. It was a last resort but one that he would have no qualms about using.

**********

Sester was having a very good dream. Soft, insistent lips were kissing him, tasting like sweet strawberries. He was too lazy to open his eyes to verify whom it was, but he didn't need to, he was certain it was Kirsten.

His lips parted and their warm breaths mingled as…

Suddenly she was gone and the warmth against his body was replaced by cold air.

"It's my turn."

Sester groaned as he recognized Jenna's determined voice. His eyes opened quickly, registered he was lying flat on his back on the flight deck and there were two beautiful and very serious-looking women staring down at him with great intent. This wasn't a warm, pleasant dream; it was a nightmare in the making.

"Now, ladies…" He stopped in shock as no words came after those two. Nothing witty to say, no sharp perceptions or insights. He was mentally naked again. His heart pounded and his mouth was as dry as the desert sands of Kronore.

"What are you both doing here?" Pushing back with his elbows, he got up and took a few discreet steps away from them.

Kirsten's eyes were soft and enticing and her voice tickled his ears deliciously, "Don't you know?"

Jenna was alluring and her body slinked quite effectively when she moved towards him. "Isn't it obvious?"

Sester swallowed hard. "I…uh…" _Think of something brilliant to say._ Unfortunately telling himself to do that, didn't necessarily mean his mind was listening. "We're on the flight deck."

Jenna offered, "We could fix that."

"That's not what I meant," said Sester. He looked around desperately for some inspiration. The viewscreen showed the Admiral's ship docked. His hand went to his sore head. Something. "Something's wrong."

Kirsten had a pained look. "Yes, there is."

Sester rubbed his head, trying to relieve some of the pressure. "What is it?"

"You have too many women in your life."

It wasn't the answer he was looking for.

Jenna suddenly grabbed him by the arm in a punishing grip; her voice was firm and insistent. "Am I still beautiful?"

Even without his mind functioning at full capacity, he could see that she needed someone to validate her. He glanced nervously at Kirsten's expectant face before answering. "I'm sure some people think you are."

Jenna squeezed tighter. "I want to know what _you_ think."

Sester grimaced, he was certain she was cutting the circulation in his arm. Why did he always find himself in these situations? "I think…I think I'm going to get slapped by someone eventually, I might as well get it over with now. Which one of you would like to do the honours? Or will it be a group effort?"

With a despondent expression in her eyes, Jenna let go of his arm. Her hands covered her face. "I'm hideous aren't I? I'm past my prime. No one wants me anymore, not even as a pilot. Everyone hates me on this ship." Tears slid down her face and she sat down heavily on the couch, like someone sinking into waves of despair.

Sester reached out a hesitant hand in sympathy and sat beside her. "Everyone hates me on this ship too."

Kirsten said softly, "I don't." She sat down next to him, her thighs lightly brushing alongside his.

"Sorry, I didn't mean you," said Sester quickly as the contact sent a jolt of energy through his body.

"And Reya doesn't," added Kirsten. "How many have there been?"

"You mean people who don't hate me? I'm sure there have been a couple."

Kirsten had the suspicious look of a woman who knew he was avoiding the question. "You know what I mean."

He gulped and loosened a collar that seemed to be strangling him. Being a man who found women fun in many delightful ways, there had been many who didn't hate him. "They don't matter."

Kirsten asked, "Are you going to say that about me when you move onto the next one?"

Jenna muttered bitterly as she lifted a tear-stained face from her hands, "He already says that about me. I never mattered to him."

Sester was feeling like the squished filling between two slices of bread. The truth came to his lips, "I..." But he stopped.

If he told her the truth, Jenna would feel even worse. He didn't like making women cry. But if he told her a lie, then Kirsten would be hurt. He could _never_ do that.

Sester pushed himself up, intending to escape as he did before, but both women were ready and pulled him back down.

A pained looked crossed his face. "Why don't you both just slap me now? I'd feel much better."

**********

Avon could tell the Wolf was having a great deal of fun. His hand rested lightly on the creature's muscular shoulder as they silently proceeded through the corridors.

Occasionally, the creature would run off without a sound or warning. Avon couldn't hear anything but in the distance, there would be a short period of frantic shouting and then silence.

While the Wolf was away, Avon would continue on his own, feeling his way along until the creature come back and gently guided his hand back to its broad shoulders. It would be panting, but it wasn't the strained sound of someone engaging in physical exertions. He concluded the Wolf was laughing in enjoyment.

Avon noticed that instead of making sudden movements as other people did to indicate changes in direction, the Wolf would slowly arc in the direction it wanted them to go and Avon would naturally readjusted his own steps. In a way, it gave Avon a feeling of control over his own movements. He wasn't being pushed or pulled along.

Despite himself, Avon was intrigued at being this close to a man who either was deeply into a delusion or was living an implanted personality. But it wasn't time for satisfying his scientific curiosities, he needed to understand this creature and determine what its capabilities were. Without Argus, he needed the Wolf to do what he couldn't.

After the creature returned after its next foray, Avon remarked dryly, "You like fighting."

The Wolf gave a double bark. "Fun."

"Both of you are incorrigible."

"Arr?"

"Never mind."

"Do you have independent memories?" he asked.

"Arr-rrr?"

If the creature insisted on speaking wolf, they were going to have problems. "Can you speak in human language so I can understand?"

The creature huffed and formed its mouth, "Y-yes."

"Good. I need to know if you have the same knowledge as Argus."

"Grrr-arrr." The creature huffed again and formed its mouth. "N-no. Yes."

Avon's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

The Wolf whine-howled as it tried to put together a complex idea. "Ar-gus-Al-pha. Fight. One."

"You're saying that when you're fighting, you're both one?"

"Arr. Yes."

Avon's head cocked to one side in thought. "Is he with you now when you're fighting?"

The creature gave a whining growl that rose in pitch. "Grrr-rrr."

"That's unfortunate."

"Arr."

Avon's mind sifted the possibilities. "I don't suppose you know how to operate the teleport?"

"Grrr? Te-le-port?"

"It's a machine that…" Avon paused. It was pointless trying to explain the teleport to the creature. That would be like trying to explain flux dynamics to Vila. Mildly amusing and a complete waste of time.

A blind man operating the teleport might produce some interesting results but none that would be useful. The only hope was to find a member of the crew.

Avon asked it, "What have you been doing with the people you find?"

"One fights."

"Yes, I know that. Have you been leaving them alive?"

"Arr."

Avon was beginning to recognize that as a yes. "Then you've been knocking them out?"

"Arr."

"Do you recognize the members of the crew?"

"One knows-the pack."

"Good. Leave the next one conscious."

"Rrr?"

"I need the person awake."

The Wolf nodded. "Arr."

**********

Sester squirmed uncomfortably as Kirsten and Jenna tried to outdo each other in gaining his attention. Their hands slid slowly, suggestively up his inner thigh, sending delectably warm sensations throughout his body. His physical reactions were immediate and embarrassingly obvious.

His teeth clenched as he tried to dampen the overwhelming feelings. He couldn't believe he was saying this. "Kirsten, Jenna, ahhh…" He grabbed their hands as they moved further up towards their goal. "This may be…fun…" He groaned. His vivid dreams were coming true but this was the last thing he wanted now. "But we can't."

He looked carefully into their feverish eyes. "I can't believe I just said that."

Jenna drew back her hand and he let go. "I can't either."

"It's not that you're not a beautiful woman, Jenna."

"You're just humouring me." She sat back dejected.

"You're an impressive woman. I have studied your file. You were fighting the Federation in your own way, long before you met Blake. And quite successfully."

"In the past."

"No. You're wrong. You succeeded in capturing Avon and setting up a complex scheme."

"I wouldn't call that a success," she said bitterly.

"You made a mistake but it doesn't diminish your achievements."

"I failed."

"Fortunately for Avon. But you were one person against some very formidable opposition. You did very well under the circumstances otherwise I wouldn't have chosen to play with you."

"You mean, toyed with me."

"No." Sester shook his head. "I don't find many people worth playing with. They don't have the intelligence."

Kirsten squeezed his hand slightly. Sester didn't look at her but a shadow of a smile made the corner of his lips quiver imperceptibly.

The three on the couch heard a sudden rush of feet. By the time they turned to see what the commotion was, Argus had pushed the two women aside and was straddling Sester with his knife pressed up against his throat.

Sester froze in momentary shock and then an amused smile formed on his lips. "Not you too?"

Chapter Eighteen

Jenna and Kirsten staggered back as Argus yanked them away from Sester and jumped on the startled man, straddling him. It might have been a suggestive pose except for the menacing snarl on Argus's face and the sharp, business end of a blade pressed against Sester's throat.

Sester was momentarily stunned and he knew that he really should have been reacting like the others but the highly improbable situations he had been finding himself in made him say with an amused smile, "Not you too?"

Jenna did not find this amusing at all and shouted, "Argus! What are you doing?"

The Wolf pressed the blade upwards and Sester pulled his head back. Kirsten screamed in fear, "No!" And grabbed his knife arm, desperately trying to pull it away from Sester's throat.

The creature shook her off with a negligent shrug which sent her flying backwards. Jenna grabbed her before she fell.

The Wolf fixed them both with fierce eyes that seemed to glow amber in the ship's light. A low guttural warning rumbled in his chest and his lips pulled back in a snarl.

They took a few faltering steps back.

"Wolf! Don't hurt whoever it is." Avon's calm voice called from the top of the flight deck steps.

The Wolf put its face close to Sester's and snarled, "No."

It did not like this human. Sester still had the smell of its mate on his body and the scent of the other two females.

The women mouthed to each other, _Wolf?_

Jenna said, "It's me, Avon. And Kirsten and Sester."

"Ah. That explains it." A mischievous smile curled Avon's lips. "Wolf, go ahead."

Kirsten shouted, "Avon!"

Jenna said, "Avon, you're not serious?"

"Do I look as if I'm joking?" Avon came down the steps slowly.

Kirsten pleaded, "Please, Avon."

He came in measured steps towards the voices but didn't say anything.

The Wolf exhaled with pleasure and pressed the knife harder into Sester's neck. With a quick movement, he slid it across his throat. Jenna stood shocked as Kirsten reached forward desperately to grab at his hand but it was too late.

Sester clutched at his neck, shock and fear on his face, expecting the warm blood to come gushing out. Then there was mystification as he felt along his suspiciously dry neck.

With a disgruntled look, Sester realized that the Wolf, Argus or whatever this man was, had used the flat of the blade. There was no cut. He had panicked for nothing.

The Wolf stepped back, wiping the blade on his thigh.

Sester looked at Avon. "You knew he wasn't going to kill me?"

Avon cocked his head and a roguish smile played at the corner of his lips. "Did I?"

The Wolf laughed in an exhale and said, "Fun."

Avon smirked. He was getting to like this creature. Definite possibilities there. "Yes, it was." But for now more urgent matters were pressing. "Jenna, I need you to operate the teleport."

"Why? Are you going to leave the ship?" She was not pleased that they had all been the target of a very bad joke.

A brief smile passed across Avon's face. "Unfortunately, not." Then he became serious. "We have to rescue Cally from the Thaarn.

Jenna took a startled step back. "Cally? Where is she and who is the Thaarn?"

Avon remembered that Jenna had not been with them during the last Thaarn incident. "There's no time to explain. The Thaarn has been manipulating everyone on the ship."

Sester sat up abruptly. "Everyone?" That explained a great deal.

Avon faced him. "I have a device that will stop him."

[On the Thaarn's ship, the creature who called itself a god, was frantically adjusting his controls to get a closer look at the device.]

Avon held out his hand and the Wolf came over. "Side wall." The Wolf guided him forward until Avon located the panel he needed and knelt down beside it.

"Once I connect this to the ship's systems it should take care of the Thaarn." He pushed a depressed catch and it slid open with a slight swish. "I need you to transport the Wolf over to the Thaarn's ship."

[The Thaarn checked his ship's systems. His anti-detector screen was still fully operational. He scoffed at Avon's presumption. The man must have forgotten that the ship was invisible. Most likely because he couldn't see. Well, Avon was going to be very surprised.]

Avon felt inside the mass of wires and circuits and pulled out two optical cables. He began splicing them together with his device.

Jenna had come up behind to watch while Kirsten was sitting beside Sester with a concerned look on her face.

Sester placed his hand on hers. "I'm fine."

"You're not hurt?"

His mouth curled wryly, "Just my pride."

Jenna suddenly stared at the screen where the admiral's ship was docked. She went to her flight station and checked the navigation screen. "Zen, scan 360 orbital. Locate all ships within medium scanner range."

After a few seconds, Zen reported, "Eight Federation ships within medium scanner range."

For a moment, Jenna was startled until she remembered they were the Admiral's ships. "That can't be. Scan again."

There was a pause and before Zen could respond, Avon said, "There are only eight ships."

Jenna whirled to face him, suspicion in her eyes. "There's something you haven't told us."

Avon stared at her with sightless eyes. It was amazing how he could produce the same intense effect even blind. He bent down to his task again and made the final connection. "I've been busy."

"Your mouth hasn't," retorted Jenna.

"Would _you_ like to do this?"

Jenna looked away from his challenging stare even though Avon couldn't possibly see her.

Zen said, "Scanner readings indicate eight Federation ships."

"Thank you, Zen," said Jenna. She muttered to herself, "If only some _other_ people were just as informative."

Avon straightened up. "Kirsten. I need you to operate this device."

Kirsten came over, somewhat wary of this man who had so casually played with Sester before. "What do you want me to do?"

"Hold this." Avon held the small rectangular device towards her.

It was much lighter than she expected as her hand took it carefully, avoiding the wires and other pieces that jutted out in various places, giving it an unfinished look.

He told her, "When I give the signal, push this power indicator all the way up." His sensitive fingers touched the sliding bar. "And press this button." He touched the round red button. "When the device is fully charged, this will blink. Do you understand?"

Kirsten studied the controls he had indicated. "It sounds easy."

"Your part." Avon said to the Wolf, "My flight station. Front." The creature led him to his seat. Avon sat down, touched the side of the panel briefly to position himself and his fingers quickly began dancing over the controls.

"Zen, I am going to manually enter a set of instructions. When I indicate, you will execute them."

"Confirmed."

He turned to the creature. "Wolf."

"Arr?" the Wolf asked. It had been watching everything with great interest but it wanted to do something.

"It's time to fight."

"Grrr-rrr," it growled with enthusiasm.

"I thought you would say that. Jenna is going to send you to the enemy's ship. I want you to find Cally and put a bracelet on her."

Jenna asked, "Avon, does this creature know what Cally looks like?"

"You have a point."

The Wolf nodded its head. "One knows."

"Are you remembering Argus's memories?" Avon asked.

The Wolf shook its head. "One smells her on..."

Avon was quick to interrupt, "Yes, well. You should have no difficulty in locating her."

The creature's mouth opened in a smile. "No."

Kirsten asked, "I don't understand. How…"

Sester had a knowing smile, "Wolves have a keen sense of smell. He must be able to smell Cally's scent on Av…"

Avon turned to give him a sightless glare even as the Wolf growled in warning.

Sester chuckled. "I'll tell you later."

Avon said, "If we are _quite_ finished, we need to save Cally."

The psychostrategist managed to look ashamed, "Sorry."

Jenna did not have a confident look. "Avon, aren't you forgetting something? How can we teleport to a ship we can't see?"

"You'll see it when you need to. Take Wolf with you and give him two bracelets."

"You're asking me to trust you?"

"I'm asking you to trust your eyes."

Jenna said, "Alright. I hope this works, for Cally's sake."

There was just the barest of pauses, then Avon said in a voice that had tightened, "It will."

Chapter Nineteen

Jenna turned her head a bit to glance at the Wolf as she led the way to the teleport section. He looked just like Argus. Of course, he was on the outside.

The Wolf's ears pricked up alertly, its eyes were keen and the nose twitched occasionally as it sniffed. The muscles ripped smoothly as it moved, walking erect like a man, on light feet and the confidence of a creature at the height of its powers.

"Can I speak to Argus?" she asked as they neared their destination.

The Wolf's voice was a comforting low rumble as it turned to answer her. "One is not here."

Jenna's breath caught in her throat. The creature's eyes were mesmerizing, almost as if it could see into her soul.

Did it like what it saw? Jenna broke her gaze and shook her head slightly. What a ridiculous thought. The creature wasn't even real; it was a construct inside Argus's mind. "You've taken over his body?"

"One is not here," the creature replied as they entered the teleport room. It looked on in amusement but did not resist when Jenna took its sinewy arm and snapped a teleport bracelet around the wrist.

The Wolf brought its arm up and studied the object curiously. "One does not require adornment."

Jenna took another bracelet from the tray. This ship had a full complement unlike the _Liberator_, which seemed to have an increasingly shrinking supply due to one reason or another. "It's not decoration. It will bring you over to the Thaarn's ship." She hoped.

"Rrrr?" the Wolf asked in confusion as it rotated the bracelet on its wrist, not understanding how this was possible.

"Here, take this one." Jenna handed the other one to the Wolf. "Put one on Cally's wrist once you find her and press this..." She pointed out the comm button. "When you want to come back. Do you understand?"

The Wolf wrapped its fingers around the bracelet and gave a wolfish exhale. "One does not understand but one will help the pack."

She didn't know why but she said, "Thank you."

The creature shook its head. "One does not require thanks."

Jenna had a sudden desire to pet the Wolf but held back. She might lose a few fingers if it didn't like it.

Crossing around behind the teleport controls and sitting down, she looked down at the locator panel. Her brows knitted in worry. Avon had said to trust her eyes. Well, she was and there wasn't anything to see yet. This had better not be an exercise in futility.

**********

Avon leaned back against his seat, trying to ignore the complaints of his tired body. At times, he felt like an ancient rusty android whose joints creaked.

They had to do this now. "Kirsten, are you ready?"

"Yes, Avon."

Sester was standing near him. "Is there anything I can do? Other than keep out of your way?"

Avon turned an impassive face to him. There was a determined set to his voice. "Keep the device on until Cally has been rescued. _No matter what happens_."

The psychostrategist looked at him sharply as his instincts gave him a warning tug. He nodded. "Alright."

**********

The Thaarn was getting a very bad feeling as he watched the scenes on the other ship. Avon was confident, they were preparing to come to his ship even though he couldn't see how and something in Avon's voice had sent shivers up and down the little god's spine.

He had to destroy the ship now! There was no time to waste. He jumped off his throne and rushed to the gravity control room.

**********

Avon placed both hands on his control panel, steadying himself for what might happen. He had no doubts this would work. The only unknown was the side effect. "Zen, execute manual instruction sequence 221."

The tired computer voice responded, "Confirmed."

The screen flared brightly as cones of multi-coloured rays radiated out from the ship in all directions. Sester, shielding his eyes, pointed with surprise, "I see it! Left side." The Thaarn's ship was now visible as the rays reacted with the energies shielding it.

Avon shouted, "Now, Kirsten!"

Kirsten slid the switch up. Her finger poised over the red button as the device built up power.

**********

The Thaarn punched the controls viciously as he configured the gravity generator to destroy Avon's ship. His hand went to his head in shock. Psi waves. He could feel them nearby. Pushing out his awareness reassured him that Cally was still asleep.

There was another Auronar nearby? But the planet with the last of them was not in this Sector. He'd been able to extract that information from Cally's mind and was planning to make them a little visit. He was particularly interested in the children.

The waves were…no, it couldn't be. They were not sentient. Avon's device. The human must be planning to…

For the first time since this began, the Thaarn had a smidgeon of concern. He bent to his task in earnest. Just one more configuration and the single press of a button and Avon would be dead, along with everyone on his ship.

The generator was ready. He spared a moment to chuckle and imagine how Avon would look crushed. Unfortunately, Avon wouldn't be able to see what was happening to him. Regrettable, but even a god couldn't have everything he wanted.

**********

The Wolf stood in readiness on the teleport platform, a knife in one hand and a pulse handgun in the other. Around its waist was a utility belt for carrying the extra teleport bracelet. Standing nearly naked, he was an impressive creature with thick muscles proportioned like some statues of the perfect, and utterly fictional, male physique. She constantly had to remind herself to stop staring but it wasn't easy. Argus had always been easy on the eyes and she would never admit it but she'd always wondered…

Jenna's eyes widened as the Thaarn's ship appeared on her locator screen. With practiced movements, she positioned the locator cursor. "I'm sending you over now!" The Wolf barely had time to growl a reply before the teleport energies surrounded it.

**********

The Wolf sneezed and nearly fell over as it staggered in surprise at the sudden change in its surroundings. Its quick reflexes saved it from an unseemly position. Its hackles rose and it was instantly on alert. Danger shouted at it. _The enemy was nearby_.

A cackling sound. The Wolf took off like a bolt of lightning.

**********

Avon said impatiently, "What's the reading?"

Kirsten's fingers were tight around the device as she waited. "Just a little more. Ninety percent. Does it have to be at maximum?"

"_Yes,_" Avon's voice rose. "Anything less and it might not be strong enough. We can't risk it. What's the reading now?"

"Ninety-one. Why couldn't we prepare the machine before? Turn it on at least?" asked Kirsten.

He would have preferred to test the machine too but there was never any time. "It would have alerted the Thaarn. He has other weapons at his disposal." Avon growled and his hand slapped the panel in frustration, "It shouldn't be taking this long."

Chapter Twenty

The Thaarn's finger touched the button that would crush Avon's ship. The Wolf burst into the dimly lit gravity control room with a deadly snarl on its face.

The little god screeched, "How did you get in here?"

The Wolf did not see any weapons on the Thaarn but instinct told it this was a dangerous creature. The enemy. It had to be killed. Wolf would have preferred rending its flesh with the sharp knife but it had been trained to use more lethal weapons too. It raised the handgun.

The Thaarn flicked his fingers and the gun flew out of the Wolf's hand. The Thaarn and his brothers were the ones who had given the gift of psi abilities to the Auronar. He had the full complement, including telekinesis.

The creature growled and launched itself at him, its knife glinting red in the instrument light.

The Thaarn pushed out both hands. The Wolf jerked in midair, as if it was a puppet whose strings had just been pulled, and was sent flying backwards, smashing into the wall with a loud thud. The Wolf yelped in pain, as its shoulder was dislocated with the impact. It fell, the knife clattering to the ground as it held its wounded shoulder.

The Wolf got up slowly, its teeth bared and a low bass rumble, like an approaching storm, formed at the centre of its being.

The Thaarn found his hands were shaking. He had never faced a creature like this before, its eyes held death for those who dared to look into them.

_Wolf, we must stop him. _Argus's voice was faint.

One will not stop, said the Wolf as it bent at the knees and leaped at the Thaarn again. The Thaarn clapped his hands together and the Wolf dropped like a stone, its howl of agony deafening as it grabbed its head and writhed on the ground.

_Wolf, you have to get up, _Argus's faint voice came to it again.

The Wolf exhaled harshly and rolled onto its knees, one hand reaching for the fallen knife, and its wounded arm held slightly away from the body with the forearm turned outward. Shadows played across a face twisted in pain, and in this kneeling position, in the dim light, it seemed more like a real wolf. The gathering rumble in its chest burst forth in a growl of anger and defiance as it went at the Thaarn with the instrument of death in its hand again.

The Thaarn staggered back. He could not believe the creature was still advancing. "Don't come any closer or I'll kill them all!" His hand hovered threateningly over the button that would destroy the _Justice_.

_It's a lie. He's going to kill them anyway. You have to stop him!_

The Thaarn's finger lowered, it was nearly touching the button.

**********

"It's ready now, Avon," said Kirsten.

"Activate it!"

Kirsten pushed the red button and Avon screamed, his hands going to the back of his head as his knees buckled.

Kirsten's mouth dropped open in horror and she automatically moved to turn the device off. Sester shouted, "No! Leave it on!"

"But, Avon…" she prevaricated, her finger still hovering over the button to turn it off as Avon moaned on the ground.

"Leave it on!" Sester came over and put his hand over hers. "Avon said '_no matter what happens'_."

Kirsten looked at the groaning man on the ground as comprehension dawned. "You mean he knew this would happen?"

"He probably suspected. He has the precursor to psi abilities. If this device acts on the psi centres of the brain, it was possible he would be affected too. We can't turn it off until Cally is rescued. I'll hold this, you help Avon."

**********

The Thaarn's hands flew to the sides of his head and he screeched as agony ripped through his brain. He fell to his knees.

Elsewhere on the ship, pain wrenched Cally from her enforced slumber. She screamed and her hands clutched at her head as the psi wave seemed to punch through her mind.

Unfortunately, the Thaarn's mind was stronger than any of theirs. He pulled himself up - even as his head felt as if it were about to split in two - and reached towards the button again. The vengeful god only had one thought, one act to perform.

With the Thaarn's psi abilities disabled, the Wolf was free to act. It rushed forward and rammed the Thaarn in the side, sending him crashing to the ground, and without a second thought sliced his throat. The blood spurted out and like a hot fountain of red, sprayed the Wolf in the face. The self-declared god of the Auronar gurgled his last wet breath and his shocked eyes closed forever.

The Wolf lifted its head and howled in victory as the blood trickled down like a badge of triumph painted on its bare chest.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Twenty-One

Wolf followed Cally's scent, whimpering as it neared and heard her cries of agony. It knelt down and lifted her up with its undamaged arm, holding her struggling body still and licking her face to reassure her that she was not alone. The creature felt inside the utility belt, took out the bracelet and snapped it to her wrist.

Its ears pricked up, the Wolf sniffed the air. The deck beneath its feet shuddered. A rumbling sound was building deep within the heart of the ship. The Wolf struck the button Jenna had showed it. "Arrrr!" It shook its head and its eyes closed as the teleport energies surrounded them.

**********

Jenna rushed forward as Wolf and Cally reappeared on the teleport platform.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked as she helped lay the moaning woman on the ground. Realizing it was a silly thing to ask the Wolf, she looked up and finally noticed the creature's eyes were shut tight.

There was congealing blood in its face, around its mouth and some had dripped down onto its chest. She hazarded a touch to the creature's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

It flinched as her hand touched the injured part and its eyes flew open. "It's me, Jenna." Argus groaned and supported his dislocated shoulder tight against his chest. "Tell Avon we have Cally."

At that moment an explosion rocked the ship. "What the hell was that?" asked Jenna who had grabbed onto the nearest solid mass, meaning Argus, for support, while he winced.

"Don't know. You take care of Cally. I'll check it out."

"You're injured."

"It takes worse than this to stop me." He rushed off and said behind him, "Call Avon."

Jenna went to the triangular comm control on the wall. "Avon, Argus is back with Cally. She's safe." The woman on the ground continued to moan. "I'm taking her to the medical unit. Do you hear me?"

Kirsten's voice responded over the speaker with a voice that sounded greatly relieved. "That's wonderful to hear, Jenna! We can turn the device off now."

Jenna was about to ask why this was important but decided not to as Cally moaned and her hands pressed against her head.

**********

On the flight deck, Sester and Kirsten stared in amazement as the Thaarn's ship exploded into a million bright fragments and the compression wave rocked the _Justice_.

Kirsten asked, "What happened?"

Sester roused himself and quickly pressed the button on the device in his hand as he answered, "The Thaarn may have activated a self-destruct."

One second. Two. Three. Avon was still groaning and writhing on the ground.

"Push it again," suggested Kirsten as she knelt down beside the suffering man and put her hand on his shoulder in comfort.

Sester pushed the button again and kept it pressed down. "Nothing." He slid the bar control all the way down. "Still nothing." He rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to figure this out. "It could be…he never had time to add a function to switch it off." He held the rectangular device in both hands and yanked hard, ripping it loose from its connection to the ship.

Avon's moans abruptly stopped and he breathed a sigh of relief. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Thank you." Kirsten helped him to the couch. He collapsed into it and leaned back tiredly.

Argus rushed in. "What happened?"

Sester and Kirsten stared at his blood-stained face.

"What?"

Sester said with amusement, "Did you eat the Thaarn, Wolf?"

"I'm not the Wolf."

"You're back." An impish grin lifted the corners of Sester's mouth. "Did _you_ eat the Thaarn?"

"That's not funny."

"You do realize your face is covered with blood, particularly around the mouth?"

Argus wiped the back of his hand across his lips and stared in shock at the blood that came away.

Avon asked, "Do you have a metallic taste in your mouth?"

"I…," Argus tried to identify the taste in his mouth, "…taste…blech…" He needed water. Lots of it. "Salt."

Avon said dryly, "Perhaps you should ask the Wolf what it's been eating."

"I…oh god. What if it _did_ eat the Thaarn?"

"Then I would suggest a strong emetic and several weeks of therapy."

"That's not funny, Avon."

"I'm not the one who ate the Thaarn," pointed out Avon with very little mercy in his voice. Even though he was exhausted, this opportunity to needle Argus was too good to pass up.

"I'll…" Argus's stomach felt queasy. He hoped it wasn't evidence the creature did eat the enemy. "Ask it."

_Wolf. Are you there_?

One is here.

_Did you_…_eat the Thaarn_?

One would not eat such a vile creature. One did not wish indigestion.

Argus exhaled in relief. "It didn't eat the Thaarn."

"That's something," said Avon. "Did it kill him?"

"I do remember that. Fragments. It sliced his throat."

_Wolf, what's the salt taste in my mouth_?

Rrrr?

_Did you eat or drink something that would cause a salty taste?_

There was silence as the Wolf seemed to be thinking. It said, Lick.

_What?_

One licked the pack.

_What?! You licked people?!_

One licked Avon-Alpha and the one named Cally. They were ill.

Argus was outraged. _You can't go around licking people with __**my tongue**_. He wondered if it was too much to hope Avon and Cally had been unconscious while this licking occurred and that no one else had witnessed it.

The Wolf nodded its muzzle, which happened to be Argus's head. Argus-Alpha does not.

_Stop that!_

He heard Kirsten ask curiously, "What's he doing?"

Sester was watching with fascination, "He must be talking to the Wolf. They're sharing the same body."

Avon stood up. "While this may be interesting for people who can see it, I would like to check on Cally."

Argus took him by the elbow, "I'll take you in a minute."

"I prefer the Wolf."

"What?"

"It's better at it."

Argus growled in consternation, "Is there anything else the Wolf did while I was away?"

Sester smirked, "Why don't you ask Reya?"

Argus and the Wolf whirled to face him with a snarl.

The psychostrategist lifted up both hands immediately. "No offence. The Thaarn's device did some strange things to the minds of the people on this ship. Just giving you fair warning."

Argus asked, "Avon?"

"He may be right. The Thaarn did have such a device. It's most likely on his ship." His head tilted in thought. "It would be educational to study this ship."

Sester said, "It exploded while you were still out."

Argus nodded. "That was the explosion we felt."

Avon's lips pursed. "Unfortunate. He may have set the ship to self-destruct if he died. He didn't want anyone to use his technology. Now, if the Wolf is not too busy." He held out his hand.

Chapter Twenty-Two

One should not jerk his hand, advised the Wolf.

Avon said with dry criticism, "Are you leading me or trying to dislocate my arm?"

Argus scowled. He had his own dislocated shoulder to contend with. The last thing he needed was to be nagged by Avon _and_ the Wolf in his head. He snapped, "I'm trying."

"I did tell you to let the Wolf do this."

One would be glad to help, volunteered the Wolf.

"I just got my body back, I'm _not_ about to give it up again," Argus said in a grumpy tone. "Just tell me what you need."

"Arriving in the medical unit with fully functional limbs would be a start."

"Grrr."

"Did you just growl at me?"

"No, I didn't."

One did growl.

_You're not helping._

Avon said, "Let go of my arm." When his arm was free, he felt beside him until he encountered Argus's bare shoulder.

"Ow." Argus flinched away, holding his injured arm to his side.

"You're hurt," remarked Avon clinically.

"I told you I was. What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing censorable, I assure you," Avon said flatly.

"I certainly hope not. I already have enough to deal with."

"How does it feel having an imaginary creature in your head?" Avon asked curiously, as Argus put the hand on his other shoulder and led the way to the medical unit again.

"Crowded."

One is not imaginary, huffed the Wolf.

"What's that sound you're making?" asked Avon.

"What sound?"

"Perhaps, _I_ imagined it," said Avon dryly.

Argus grimaced. "The Wolf borrows parts of me occasionally. When it wants to express something."

"What was it trying to express?"

"It said it's not imaginary."

"Of course it would. To the Wolf, it's real."

"I thought..." Argus hesitated.

"Always a bad idea."

"Grrr."

"You're doing it again." There was a faint smirk on Avon's face. This was ridiculously easy.

"Doing what?"

"Growling."

"I do _not_ growl. The Wolf does."

One did growl, said the Wolf.

Argus complained, "You're both ganging up on me."

"You also appear to have developed paranoia," said Avon.

"I am _not_ paranoid."

"You also said you don't growl, but the evidence refutes that."

"Grrr." Argus's eyes widened. "Ahhh!" He slapped his palm to his forehead. "I did growl."

"I did tell you."

"It must be a residual effect of having the Wolf inside me."

"You are acknowledging its existence?"

One is grateful.

"We're there," Argus said as they passed through the open doors of the medical unit.

**********

"I'm fine," said Cally as the sole doctor - no one knew where the other ones were - examined her.

Dr. Sun said, "Humour me, Cally. This will not take long." His almond eyes were kind but his voice was firm.

"Just let him examine you," said Jenna, not believing Cally one bit. A woman, who had been groaning in pain just minutes ago, couldn't possibly be fine.

Cally suddenly bolted upright, a relieved smile on her face and eyes full of emotion. "Avon."

The sound of Cally's voice filled Avon with relief and other emotions he would prefer not to acknowledge in front of the others. With a completely inexpressive face and a voice to match, Avon said, "Cally. How are you feeling?" Argus led him over to the bed.

*_ You can't fool me, Avon _* Cally projected. *_ I can sense what you're feeling. _*

There was a quick flash of irritation and consternation as Avon remembered how well she could read him. *_ It has been quiet without your voice in my mind. _*

Cally touched his arm and projected the image of herself with a teasing smile on her face, *_ I miss you too, Avon. _*

Argus coughed discreetly into his hand. Avon and Cally were silent, but from their body language and looks on their faces, it was obvious something private was occurring. He looked at Jenna meaningfully. "We should leave them alone."

Jenna nodded. "Four's a crowd."

The fascinated Wolf asked, Are they about to mate?

Argus choked and winced at the stab of pain in his shoulder.

Dr. Sun, who had been discreetly continuing his examination of Cally, looked up and said, "Your shoulder appears injured."

"I'll live," said Argus. "It doesn't hurt."

The doctor stared at him and there was a single twitch at the corner of his mouth, as if he was on the verge of challenging that statement.

Argus added hastily, "Not much. I'll come back later. I promise."

The doctor said gravely, "Be sure you do."

**********

Argus and Jenna left the medical unit together.

"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to catch up.

"Going to find Reya and the others." He charged on. "I didn't see the Admiral. He was on the flight deck the last time I saw him."

"Oh." Jenna stopped. "Well…"

Argus turned to her with a sense of foreboding and a growing pain in his head just behind the eyes. Would this day never end? "Tell me."

"You'd better come with me," said Jenna as she led the way to the flight deck.

**********

Kirsten's eyes were unfocused as she looked off into the distance.

Sester was admiring the line of her jaw when he asked, "What are you thinking?"

"I…" She turned to him, blinking as if she had just remembered he was sitting next to her on the couch. "Were you serious when you said the Thaarn had done something to the minds of the people on the ship?"

A concentrated effort, using mental exercises learned at the Guild, was returning Sester to his old self. He craved sharp interactions to continue his progress. "Yes." His eyes were understanding. "Did you want to talk about something?"

"You mean besides my wanting to jump you several times in the past few hours?"

An impish smile touched his lips. "We could start with that."

Thump.

"That wasn't me," said Sester.

Thump. Thump.

Argus and Jenna came down the steps. Jenna said, "Kirsten, we'd better let him out."

"I forgot!" Kirsten jumped up and they both went to a side panel. Argus was trying not to look pained. It had nothing to do with his shoulder.

The two women slid open a recessed storage panel and Admiral Tarkov rolled out and landed with a thud and an outraged, "Mmmm!"

Jenna quickly removed his gag as Kirsten untied him. They tried to help him up but he shrugged them off and stiffly got up on his own. "Commander!"

Argus snapped to attention, his jaw clenching as another stab of pain shot through his shoulder. "I'm sorry, sir. It was…" He felt like a junior officer facing an irate superior. "…a mistake."

"I do not appreciate being trussed up and tossed away in a cupboard!" The Admiral stomped around, trying to bring the circulation back to his limbs.

"It was the Thaarn, sir."

"Who the hell is the Thaarn? And what does he have to do with this!" The Admiral was a good bellower when he was angry.

Argus winced. He had not seen the Admiral this angry since…well, that was a different lifetime ago. "He was the one wreaking havoc with the ships. He's the invisible anomaly you were tracking. We destroyed him."

At that, the Admiral began to cool down. "That's good. I want to hear what happened."

"You will receive a full report, Admiral."

Tarkov was staring at him, a none-too-pleased look on his face. "I am not impressed with the lack of discipline on your ship, Commander."

"Jenna and Kirsten…"

"I'm not talking about that," said the Admiral. "Why are you naked again? And why do you look as if you've been drinking blood?"

Argus looked to a spot in the ceiling, looking for patience and the last vestiges of his sanity. "That will be in the report, sir."

The clothes itched one, said the Wolf.

_I don't think that'll help_.

"If you would lend a hand, Admiral. I believe some of your people are on my ship. They're fighting with my crew."

"Then we'd better stop them," said the Admiral.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Argus hissed as a knife of pain stabbed his shoulder and wormed its sharp way down his arm. He clenched his hands tightly. There was no time for pain. His crew and the Admiral's men might be killing each other. He had to save them; though - he strained his ears - it was eerily quiet now. What if they had all killed each other and Reya lay dying in a pool of…

He shook his head imperceptibly. _No_.

_Reya-mate must not die_, said the Wolf resolutely.

_We both agree on that, Wolf._

"At least you haven't let yourself go, Argus," said the Admiral, his eyes appraising him.

Argus, startled from his conversation in his head, said, "I try to keep in condition, sir." His coughed in embarrassment. He never liked all the attention people gave to his physical appearance and couldn't wait to put some clothes on.

_Could one find something less itchy? _asked the Wolf.

Argus couldn't believe he was humouring the creature but he told it, _I'll see what I can do_.

The Admiral harrumph a sound of approval.

For a moment Argus wondered if the Admiral could hear what the Wolf had said and was agreeing, but it couldn't be.

"Sir," he kept his voice low. None of Admiral's troopers was in evidence but it didn't mean that no one was listening. "Have you been able to…"

"We'll talk about it later." Admiral Tarkov was even more nervous about the topic than Argus was.

"Yes, sir."

"You've done well for yourself. A good ship. An excellent crew. I've been following the reports on the secured channels."

The two men walked in step, as if on parade.

"I couldn't have asked for a better crew, sir. They deserve most of the credit."

Tarkov nodded. "You haven't changed."

"Some things have." They approached the area where Argus came on the firefight earlier. The ex-soldier put his hand up in a closed fist and the the Admiral stopped behind him.

_One's nose and ears are sleepy,_ remarked the Wolf as it tried to sniff.

Argus had no idea what the Wolf was talking about. _I'm busy. Talk to me later._

_One should use one's ears and nose more._

The Wolf closed its eyes and Argus's world instantly opened up. A kaleidoscope of sounds and odours he had barely noticed before. He shook his head as his nose wrinkled. Body smells. Even more than that, he could tell just from the odour, how long it had been since someone bathed. The sounds were almost deafening. Objects scratching on smooth surfaces and the quiet, calm breathing of men curiously lacking in stress.

Argus peaked around the corner and his eyes nearly popped out. Tarkov looked over his shoulder.

The Federation troopers were all disarmed and sitting on the ground alongside Argus's men. A few Atholians were holding rifles on the troopers but there didn't seem much need. The Admiral's men were far too busy…sketching.

Lt. Dain was at the front, pointing to an improvised easel with the barrel of his rifle. "Now, you need to learn to see shapes in the objects you want to draw. For example…" He snapped to attention when he saw Argus. "Sir!"

Art supplies clattered to the ground as the soldiers and troopers saw Argus and the Admiral. They jumped up and stood to attention.

The Admiral bellowed, "What on earth is going on?"

Reya, who was the culprit for this impromptu drawing lesson, came towards them. "It was my idea, Admiral." There was no sign that she was intimidated by the Admiral or his bellowing.

The Wolf's mouth opened in happiness when it saw she was fine. "Reya-mate," it said proudly.

Reya looked at him with a curious expression in her eyes and the Admiral stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "What did you say?"

Argus really wished this day would end. He took as deep a breath as his expanding lungs could take, which was quite a lot, and let it out slowly. Introducing the Wolf to the Admiral was not on his list of things to do today. There was only one way to salvage this. "I meant to introduce you earlier, Admiral. Reya is my bond-mate. I mean, we will be."

The Admiral clapped him heartily on the shoulder. "Congratulations, my boy! It's about time you took the plunge!" Argus squelched a groan of agony at the assault on his injured limb.

With teeth clenched, he said, "Yes…about…time."

"It won't be that bad," said Tarkov, mistaking his stress for the agony of the impending bonding ceremony. "I'll even officiate, if you'll have me. I do have that authority on my ship."

Argus was aghast. "Officiate?"

_Rrr? _asked the Wolf, more in query than the unbecoming shock that was currently gripping Argus.

"You do plan to have a bonding ceremony, don't you?" asked the Admiral.

"I…well…never thought…" Argus was at a loss for words and he swayed unsteadily on his feet, though later he would swear it was because of his shoulder injury.

Reya put her arm around him in support, carefully avoiding the dislocated shoulder. "We don't have to have one."

"No!" Argus said in panic and winced. "You deserve one, Reya. I'll do it even if it kills me."

Reya said, "I didn't know bonding ceremonies were considered dangerous."

Argus was horror-stricken. "No! I meant, nothing could stop me from bonding with you."

The Wolf asked, _Is one nervous?_

_I'm not._

_One sounds nervous._

Argus added, "Not that anyone would."

"Then we're settled," said the Admiral. "We'll sort out this mess. Take care of the injured and then we'll have a bonding ceremony, a celebration of your union together."

**********

"I could see everything," said Cally as she lay in the crook of Avon's arm. It was warm and comfortable there. She sighed and snuggled closer. "But I couldn't do anything. It was frustrating."

It seemed a long time since they'd been together in their cabin, with no dangers lurking around the corner. Avon's mind was relaxing, he was slowly, and consciously opening up to her, like the petals of a flower greeting the sun.

"You did a great deal." Avon ran his fingers lightly along her arm, enjoying the velvety feel of her skin and trying to commit every line and bump to memory, as he had done with the details of the ship. Removing one sense enhanced the others and the sensation of touch, more than the others, gave him a sense of solidity and reality. "If you hadn't forced the contest with the Thaarn, we would have all died or worse." He traced lightly along her shoulder, lingering there at the curve. "Though relying on me to win the contest was somewhat hopeful if not slightly insane."

"I knew you could do it." She wriggled around to face him. The bristle on his face scratched pleasantly against her fingers as she caressed his cheek. "You understood the Thaarn's technology."

"It was fortunate we had ORAC. Or rather ORAC's parts. It uses the same wave frequencies that you use for psi communication."

"You used it to send a feedback signal?"

"It was fairly easy. The hardest task would have been to produce the correct wave signature and ORAC's parts took care of that." He felt for the fingers resting on his cheek and touched them to his lips. "I didn't want to hurt you but I had no choice. It was the only way to defeat him."

Cally leaned forward and brushed her lips lightly on his in a feather-light kiss. "It's alright, Avon." The warmth of each other's breaths mingled and joined, connecting them, like a prelude or perhaps a promise of what was to come. "How did you make the Thaarn's ship visible?"

"There was a seventy percent probability that he adapted his energy isolation technology in the development of the anti-detector screen. Using proven technologies you are familiar with is quite common, even for would-be gods."

"You mean you relied on luck?"

Avon bristled slightly in annoyance. "I relied on calculated odds."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Cally let a wave of amusement flow towards him.

Avon relaxed. She was teasing him. "It isn't remotely the same thing," he said in mock indignation. "Luck is blind." He paused as he realized the irony. "Given the circumstances, perhaps I did rely on luck."

Cally chuckled.

Avon suddenly bent forward and kissed her with unexpected passion. Their arms wrapped around each other, pulling them tighter together, igniting the heat they had been holding back.

Cally had to break away for a moment in order to breathe. Avon carried on, hungrily kissing her lips, the corners of her mouth, her eyelids, leaving a trail of inflamed flesh.

"We should do this tomorrow. You're tired," she suggested even though her body was screaming for him to continue.

He pulled back and his inner 'eyes' opened to look deep into hers. Cally gasped in surprise and a shiver of pleasure passed through her.

Avon said in a husky whisper, "I will be tired tomorrow."

Chapter Twenty-Four

Sester leaned back in his seat. The flight couch moulded to his contours and with the dim lighting of the observer craft, it was almost like being in an artificial womb. He absently drew his fingers along the edge of the flight panel, the slightly bumpy texture keeping him anchored even as his mind drifted in thought. One of these days, it may never come back. Sester sighed. He was in a peculiar mood, even more than usual.

What would it be like to be a disembodied intelligence? Not that he would consider it _seriously_. There were _some_ advantages to having a corporeal form, despite the few minor irritations. _And_ Kirsten _might_ object. A grin played at the corners of his mouth. There were distinct advantages, not to mention quite a few pleasures he was unwilling to give up.

The last few days had been unexpected. Without his mind and his skills as a psychostrategist, he had been useless, unable to help with the Thaarn. He should have been able to provide a ready strategy to defeat the Thaarn, faster than the others.

Instead, he had been frozen in fear and panic and had run from Kirsten, Jenna and, he grimaced at what had happened with Reya. What _almost_ happened.

The cushioning chair felt claustrophobic, trapping him in its confines. He had been making great strides in regaining his mental prowess and abilities but it wasn't enough. The sharpness that characterized him was missing and he suspected the unreasoning panic was still lurking. This would never do.

The computer reported, "Connections established."

Sester straightened up, his heart beating just a little faster. "Put it onscreen, computer."

There was a timeless quality about Guildmaster Venner. In his official black and silver colours, dark hair streaked with white and deep penetrating eyes, he was the unchangeable and commanding spirit of the Guild. "Charles."

Sester's throat was a bit too dry for his liking and he fought back the need to wet his dry lips. "Master."

Being without a fully functional mind was like being back in the punishment chamber, naked and vulnerable to his master's will. Panic gripped him but he refused to let it appear on his face. He couldn't face Venner like this, but it was because he couldn't, that he had to. The Guildmaster was the only one who could help him. This man had given him his identity.

Venner asked, "Do you have something to report?"

"Something's happened, sir."

"Tell me."

**********

After arranging for the care of his crew, and having his shoulder popped back into place, Argus, against the protests of the doctors, nipped back to his cabin to put on some clothes. He stretched his shoulder tentatively, wincing as it seemed to complain at his precipitous exit from the medical unit, and opened the wardrobe. Perhaps a lighter grey shirt.

_Does it matter?_ asked the Wolf. _The coverings do not look different._

_It's a lighter shade._

_It does not look very different. _Wolf sounded grumpy.

Argus wondered if he was imagining the Wolf's attitude as he removed the shirt from the rack and shrugged it on carefully. His skin cringed and itched the moment it touched his flesh but he continued, resolutely determined to be fully clothed. The metal clasps snapped shut as he fastened them. Suddenly, he shivered and began to scratch all over. It was unbearable. Argus's eyes widened. _Wolf! It's not that bad. Stop exaggerating._

The Wolf humphed and the itching eased to a light annoying sensation. _The coverings itch._

_You'll have to get used to it. I'm not going out naked again._

_One was __**not**__ naked._

_Nearly naked is just as bad._

_One's mate did not appear to think so._

_Stop noticing!_

_Reya-mate, _said the Wolf with an air of pride and affection, and a host of other feelings that made Argus very uncomfortable.

He shoved a leg into a pair of trousers. _She's __**my**__ mate._

_Yes, one's mate, _agreed the Wolf. _Can one wear only the top covering?_

_No._

The Wolf exhaled sharply with displeasure._ One does not understand why coverings are necessary._

_It's a human custom._

_It is a silly custom._

_Well, as long as this is __**my**__ body, we __**will**__ follow the customs no matter how silly you think they are._

The Wolf harrumphed.

Argus completed his ensemble with a belt, cinching it tightly.

_Must one squeeze one's tummy?_

_It's a belt,_ said Argus.

_What is its purpose?_

_It holds my trousers up._

The Wolf tilted its head in puzzlement. _The lower coverings were not falling down_.

_No, they weren't but…_ The Wolf was right. Why did people wear belts when they weren't required to hold trousers up? Argus had no idea. He sighed. _It's another silly custom_.

_One would like to wear the colour blue._

Argus rolled his eyes to the ceiling and wondered if prayer would work even though it had been outlawed long ago in the Federation, along with all other religious expressions. _Let me guess, you want me to find some blue clothes?_

_Reya-mate likes blue._

_How did you…_

At that moment, the door to the cabin slid open with a swish and Reya entered.

The Wolf's mouth opened with pleasure and its body reacted instantly to her presence. It swept her up in its arms and began kissing her with great fervour.

Reya was startled for a moment as she felt his clear intentions pressed up against her. His enthusiasm was infectious and her own body was responding. She began to share the kiss.

"Stop that!" Argus shouted, pushing Reya away from him.

"What's wrong?" She reached out and gently touched the injured area. "Is it your shoulder?"

He flinched away. "No. I'm sorry, Reya. It's…" How was he going to explain this? "You'd better sit down. I have something to tell you." He pulled over two seats, the cushioned pads sliding noiselessly across the floor.

Reya sat down and regarded him curiously. "What's this all about?"

He took the seat next to her and took a deep breath to steady himself for a gargantuan task. "I have a wolf inside me."

"You ate…a wolf?" she asked as she reached for his forehead. "Do you feel alright? Do you have a fever?"

_Reya-mate is funny._

Argus grimaced and took her hand in his. "No, not a real wolf."

_One __**is**__ real_, huffed the creature.

"When the Thaarn was playing with our minds, he brought out something inside me."

"I don't understand." She was very tempted to suggest he go to the medical unit for an examination.

Crinkles gathered between Argus's brows. How could he explain this so she wouldn't think he was as crazy as he felt? "I have another personality inside my mind. It comes across as a wolf."

Reya's words were slow and thoughtful. "You think the Thaarn is responsible for it?"

He sighed heavily. "I'm not sure. I think…" He massaged his temple as understanding dawned. "It's always been with me. It _feels_ familiar."

Reya put her hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be alright."

His anxious eyes met hers. "How can it be, Reya? What if I'm part animal? What if becomes worse and I grow fangs or…" He shivered. "A coat of fur?"

_One would like that, _said the Wolf._ Then one would not need itchy coverings._

"My feelings for you will never change." Reya brushed her fingers through his hair. "Not matter what happens. I think…you must be human. If you weren't, the Tellarans would've noticed when they did their exams."

"But what if it's just coming out now? What if the Thaarn's machine brought out the animal parts of me that were dormant?"

"Let's go to the medical unit."

**********

The medical unit was back to full staff as the various personnel filtered back to their duties.

Dr. Sun tapped an index finger on his pursed lips as he read the results of Argus's exam. "Genetically, you are undoubtedly human."

Argus slid from the bio-bed and let out a loud sigh. "That's a relief."

"But there is something different."

Argus winced. Just when things were looking up, someone had to dump a load of rain. "Different how?"

"Your genetic profile is similar to Avon's."

There were confused looks. Argus asked, "You mean, Avon and I are related?"

Sun shook his head. "No. You both have superior genetic material. You are predisposed to excellence."

"You mean…" Argus leaned back against the bed. "…I was created?"

"It's hard to tell without more sophisticated equipment. It is possible you are the end result of a eugenics program. Coupled with some genetic manipulation."

Reya had been looking over Sun's shoulder at the examination results. "Avon was part of a eugenics program."

"Then it is likely they were part of the same program."

"Can you tell anything about the creature in his head?" asked Reya.

"For that, we will need psych specialists. Unfortunately, none of us are. We would have to go back to Tellar."

Argus grimaced and his face had paled. "You mean I might be crazy?"

"No. We need to understand how this alternate personality developed. If, as you say, it predates the interference of the Thaarn, then the most logical conclusion would be that it was something done by the Federation."

Sun glanced at him with an uncertain look on his face. "There _is_ a psych specialist onboard."

Reya had been watching Argus worriedly but she turned the doctor, "Who?"

"The psychostrategist."

Argus growled.

**********

After several hours with the Guildmaster, Sester was feeling his old self again.

Venner said, "This experience has been useful."

Sester nodded his head slightly, a shadow of a smile on his lips. "For both of us."

"Do you have anything to report?"

"You wanted me to inform you when I found one of Argus's military contacts."

Venner's eyebrows raised a little. "You've found one?"

"Admiral Tarkov is here."

The Guildmaster's lips curled in a pleased but chilling smile.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Avon sat next to Cally on the flight deck, listening intently to the voices, concentrating on tone and inflections as well as content. It was Cally's suggestion.

He had scoffed at the idea at first, he was only interested in facts and rarely paid attention to the wrappings of tone, inflections and language, but it was proving to be an interesting exercise. In his shadowy world, any ray of light shed into the darkness was welcome.

Cally sat beside him, her thigh pressed up gently against his, a warm presence. He wouldn't have considered it important, except that it was. Each sensation added detail to his perception of the world, like an incomplete puzzle whose pieces were falling into place.

Her presence was a peaceful wave lapping gently against the barriers of his mind.

He said, "Without access to the Thaarn's technology, it's almost impossible to reverse the process."

Argus turned to him. "_Almost_ impossible?"

"Given enough time and resources, virtually anything is possible. The question is, is it feasible?"

Cally said, "Fortunately it only seems to have affected our ship and the Admiral's. The others were untouched."

Avon tilted his head in thought. "His machine may have had a short range. Admiral Tarkov, you said there were three other ships affected?

Tarkov's voice, when it wasn't bellowing, was a deep bass sound that lent a sense of gravity to everything he said. "Yes, three," he rumbled. "They were not as fortunate. The crews turned on each other. Many of them died." His eyes crinkled in a grimaced. "I would like to know why it was different here."

Sester sat squished against the corner of one of the couches. "I have a theory if anyone's interested." He regarded them all with a pleasant, almost self-mocking smile as he absently wondered if it was possible for Reya to sit even farther away from him without being out in the corridor.

A low rumble formed deep in Argus's chest, a combination of his own reaction and the Wolf's.

_Does one have to hear this? _asked the Wolf.

Argus said, "Go ahead."

The creature blew out a sigh of complaint.

Sester's lips twitched briefly in a stifled grin, which made Argus wonder if the insufferable man could hear the Wolf too.

The psychostrategist said, "You may not like what I'm about to say, Admiral."

Avon remarked, "We usually don't."

Sester chuckled. "That's true."

"Then why should _I_ listen to you?" The Admiral's glare had flattened many lesser men, but it did not work on a psychostrategist.

"Because I am too useful to be ignored."

Vila's eyes brightened and a memory caused him to blurt out, "He's like ORAC."

Avon said, "Hardly." His sightless eyes stared at Sester. "But you should listen."

The Admiral found this very irregular. "Very well."

Sester drew his fingers casually along the upper edge of the couch as he said, "The reason why the Thaarn's machine did not have the same effect is because of the nature of the crews." He glanced up for their reaction.

Tarkov asked, "What do you mean by 'the nature of the crews'?"

After a mental sigh at the linear nature of military minds, Sester was about to say something even more cryptic when Cally said, "Yours are Federation crews."

"And that makes a difference?" asked Tarkov.

Avon said, "Federation crews have different agendas."

Vila said under his breath, and using his hand to cover up his mouth for good measure, "Yeah, like murdering innocent people."

"What was that?" Tarkov turned his considerably commanding and distinctly unimpressed attention towards the mutterer. Vila shrunk visibly into his couch.

Argus said, "What Vila is trying to say, Admiral, is Federation crews follow Federation orders and Federation rules."

The two military men locked eyes and an understanding passed between them. Tarkov's manner became less abrasive. "Of course."

Avon's eyes narrowed. It was strange how old reflexes still held true even without his sight. "Just like that?"

Argus's leg suddenly flicked out and shook itself, stamping hard on the ground. His face was mortified even as he demanded of the Wolf, _Why did you do that? _"Sorry, my leg cramped."

_One does not like boots, _complained the Wolf_. One cannot move one's toes._

Reya asked immediately, "Are you alright? Is it…" She was about to ask if it was the creature in his head but she knew he was already embarrassed enough. "Do you need to go to the medical unit?"

Cally made moves to come over to examine him but Argus waved her off, "I'm alright. Just a slight twinge. Now, we were discussing…"

"It's the Wolf," said Avon.

Argus's eyes took on a wounded and long-suffering expression as he looked towards the obstinately silent ceiling for support.

Vila glanced around in alarm, "Wolf? What wolf? Wait a moment," His eyes unfocused briefly as something came to mind, "I do remember hearing animal sounds before. It could have been a wolf."

Argus said through gritted teeth, "That was me."

Cally asked in surprise as they all stared at him, "You?"

_* Avon, did you know about this? *_

*_ Yes. _* Normally, Avon would have left it at that, but he found he couldn't, not with Cally. * _I didn't have time to tell you. *_ There was a slight flush to his next thought even though his tone was factual. * _We were preoccupied. _*

Cally's eyes opened up in his mind, like stars sparkling in the darkness, *_ Yes, we were. _*

Argus coughed in discomfort. "Yes. Didn't Avon tell you?"

Cally glanced sideways at Avon as a tinge of pink coloured her cheeks, "He didn't have time." She asked quickly, "What is this wolf?"

Argus looked over the assembled group; they were all staring at him intently. Half of them already knew. How many found this highly amusing and who thought he was insane? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Reya leaned discreetly towards him, causing their thighs to touch imperceptibly. He gave her a brief nod and faced the others squarely. "I have a wolf personality inside my head."

Cally and Vila looked at him warily and both said at the same time, "You're possessed?"

Argus's eyes sought the ceiling again as he sighed. "No. It's a wolf, not an alien."

Cally asked, "You're possessed by a _wolf_?" She didn't want to admit it but the idea that she, for once, was not the one with this problem, was comforting.

Trying to explain something he didn't understand himself was proving to be difficult. "It's not possession; it's just…inside me."

Cally knew what to do with possession. "Then we have to get it out."

_"One wishes to stay," _said the Wolf.

They all stared at him. Argus stared back. "You…heard that?"

Avon said, "It was hard not to. I take it that was the Wolf?"

Argus grimaced and he said in a tight voice, "Yes."

Sester had been watching with clinical fascination. "Can we speak to it again?"

"No!" Argus's patience was wearing thin. If one more person mentioned 'alien possession', he couldn't be held responsible for his actions.

"Then how do expect me to help?" Sester pointed out.

A low growl escaped Argus's throat.

"Was that you, or the Wolf?"

Avon said, "It was both."

Sester was finding this a highly enjoyable situation. "You already knew about the Wolf?"

"We worked together briefly."

"_Avon-Alpha._" The Wolf's head dipped in a nod and its voice rumbled low in its chest. The creature's mouth opened in a smile.

Avon's head tilted in the direction of the creature. This was strange. The creature's affection was like a warm fire inside him. It slid past his defences and he hadn't been aware of it. "I sent it over to deal with the Thaarn."

Sester chuckled. "You have a guide Wolf."

The growl became louder.

"Let me guess, that was both of you again?" Sester asked facetiously.

In the twinkling of an eye, the Wolf had leaped through the air at Sester but Reya's quick reflexes caused her to grab his arm. The Wolf crashed to the ground with a startled yelp, immediately rolling to prevent injury. It bounced back up and turned to his mate with a look of reproach in its eyes.

"Hello, Wolf," said Sester with a satisfied smile.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Twenty-Six

The temperature dropped to freezing as the creature glared at Sester, its fierce eyes, almost glowing, and its lips pulled back in a snarl that would send most men running from the room, not to mention, the ship.

Several blinked their eyes. They could almost swear they could see a pair of long and very functional fangs extending, but this was ridiculous of course, he was still Argus. His muscles stood out in relief, each bulge sharply defined, stretching his clothes.

Vila swallowed hard and eyed the exit nervously. He remembered scary stories told when the power went out in the Delta grids. Fictional creatures with fangs, claws and fiery eyes. Or quasi-humans who changed when the moon was full.

_Werewolves_.

He looked hard for the telltale signs. Were the muscles growing? Well, that was hard to tell. They were already bulging, more than normal. And seeing him nearly naked earlier…well, that had been even more impressive than the doll he'd made for the Commander.

Was the creature going to outgrow its clothes soon? Would they split, tear, and drop to the ground like discarded rags.

Argus _had_ been running around naked lately. Was that why?

Vila did wonder about those Delta vids. How did these creatures lose all their clothes but still manage to keep their shorts on? Argus did have those on earlier.

Was he growing fur? If he squinted, he was almost certain he could see a bit at the tip of the ears. Slightly fuzzy. Would it would be hairy all over soon?

They'd all heard the creature growl, it seemed ready to eat someone. Vila shuddered.

The Wolf said to Sester in a low rumble, "Run."

Sester's face paled slightly and then he gave a nervy grin. "You won't kill a member of the pack."

"Not kill." The creature's mouth opened in a smile that was far from its eyes. "Hunt."

Sester was like a smiling man with a death wish, except he had every confidence he would survive this encounter. His voice contained a knowing, superior tone that only Avon could match. "That's interesting. I didn't think you acknowledged me as a member of your crew."

"Argus, don't." Reya's calm, concerned voice reached through the Wolf's anger and stopped it in its tracks. He turned to look at her.

Reya's heart was racing, but not with fear for herself. She was filled with worry and was determined to help him.

Like him, there was a raw truth and beauty about this creature. Its joy was a burst of warmth and its affection like Argus's strong but gentle arms enfolding her in his embrace.

"Careful," warned Vila.

"He won't hurt me." Reya's confidence did not come from clever calculation, as Sester's did. It came because she knew him and believed in him. "Argus, it's me."

Fierceness faded from its eyes, replaced by joy.

Reya asked, "Do you know who I am?"

Wolf dipped its head and its voice rumbled in warm affection. "Reya-mate."

"Yes." She reached out her hand to him. The Wolf took it in his and drew her closer.

Sester asked, "Would you like us to leave the flight deck?"

The Wolf glared daggers at him, and his teeth were bared.

Avon had refrained from commenting on the nearly domestic scene. He had to admit to a trace of curiosity about the creature but its aggressive tendencies could prove unfortunate if it killed Sester in its annoyance. "Wolf, later."

The Wolf blew out a forceful exhale. "One will hunt now."

"You can chase him as much as you wish. Later. I doubt if anyone would stop you."

Reya said, "Avon."

Avon's head tilted in her direction, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Almost no one."

"Sesters are devious," said the Wolf.

Sester smiled. "I've become a plural now?"

There was an answering growl.

"This is highly irregular," said the Admiral, watching the Argus/Wolf warily. "How can we fix it? How can we bring Argus back permanently?"

"Spoken like a true military man," said Sester, "Solutions are more important that the reasons. Aren't you the least bit curious as to the origins of this alternate personality?"

"We all know the origins. It was the result of the Thaarn's machine."

"I don't think so." Sester's mind was fully functional now and he was coming to some interesting conclusions.

"Of course it is," said the Admiral.

Avon asked, "You have a different theory?"

"You're not going to like my theory." There was a faint smile on Sester's lips.

Avon said one word, "Wolf."

"Rrr?" answered the creature.

"Alright, alright," Sester held up a hand in surrender but his smile had widened. "The Thaarn's machine only brought out what was already there."

"That's ridiculous!" snorted the Admiral.

Reya's hand was still in the creature's hand as he gazed at her with affection, and alternately glaring warningly at the amused Sester. She did not like what Sester was implying. "Are you saying the wolf was always inside him?"

"I'm sorry, Reya," said Sester.

Cally asked, "How is this possible?"

"I can think of one possibility."

Avon said, "The Federation."

"Yes."

"This must have been done after they took him from the Academy?"

"That's my guess."

Vila's face had drained of colour as he remembered Jack's ferocious struggle before they hauled him off. "That's...horrible."

Avon's voice was as cold as the deep of space. "Wolf."

"Fun?"

"Yes."

The Wolf made motions to advance on Sester but Reya held him back.

Sester said, "Avon, it wasn't my fault."

Avon's words were like a sharp knife plunging deeply and twisting on its way in. "How long have you known?"

They all stared at him and then at Sester.

"I didn't," Sester said with all the sincerity he could muster.

"You expect us to believe that?" asked Avon.

"It happens to be the truth." He looked around at the disbelieving faces. "Not that any of you believe me."

Reya said accusingly, "You deliberately provoked him in order to bring the wolf out."

Sester suppressed a wince at her tone. "I had to confirm something."

Her voice was almost as cold as Avon's was and she gripped the Wolf's hand tighter. "_He is not an experiment you can play your games with_."

Inclining his head, Sester said, "I know." He noticed the Admiral had fallen silent and his eyes were hooded in thought. "Admiral, do the reasons interest you now? Or do you already know them?"

Tarkov started at Sester's question. He seemed to squirm for a bit in discomfort, or was it guilt? "I don't know anything about this kind of conditioning."

Avon pounced on his word. "You admit it _is_ a form of conditioning?"

"I'm not admitting anything."

It was Sester's turn. "But you're not denying it either."

The admiral found it unnerving to be stared down by a man who couldn't see and another who had a faint grin on his face. Not to mention a wolf that looked like a man. "Retraining is common practice for officers in the service."

Avon scowled. "Conditioning."

"It's not the same thing."

"Explain the difference." The sarcasm was dripping from his lips.

Sester said, "He can't. He doesn't know."

The Admiral's eyes narrowed. "How do _you_ know..."

"I have my sources," said Sester. "But no amount of retraining explains _this_." He pointed to the Wolf, who seemed to have a permanent snarl when facing him.

Tarkov fell silent, his eyes hooded in thought again. "There were times..."

"When he acted differently?"

"I'm not..." The Admiral hesitated as he regarded the Wolf. "He wasn't like this."

Reya's voice was subdued as she remembered a different Argus too. His eyes had been dark and disturbing. "Was he out of control? More aggressive?"

"He was dangerous," said Tarkov as his mind sifted through his memories. "But I wouldn't say out of control. Fierce. Aggressive certainly. But it only happened a few times."

"In battle?" asked Sester.

"Yes," The Admiral's words were drawn out as he tried to remember. "Or on a mission."

Sester nodded. "That confirms what we expected."

"And that would be?"

"This personality was used to enable Argus to perform functions he would normally refuse."

The creature was trying to understand the strange ideas when pain seemed to split its mind. Images, like a distorted kaleidoscope, flashed in its mind and faded as quickly as they came.

Argus groaned and put a hand to his head.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Wolf nuzzled Argus in concern, its furry muzzle softly rubbing against his face. It's tongue flicked out…

Argus's eyes popped open, his hand reflexively wiping his cheek. Wet. "No slobbering, Wolf. Wh…." His eyes widened. He had been expecting to see the creature standing over him, not…"Reya!" She was by his bed, her face concerned.

The comforting green walls of the medical unit greeted his searching eyes and a less comforting crowd surrounded his bed. He fell back and groaned, pressing his hand to his forehead.

"How do you feel?" asked Reya.

Argus really missed the days when it was Avon who was asked that question and not him. "Like someone is stomping on my head with metal boots."

Dr. Sun was on the other side of the bed. He asked in a gentle competent voice, "Where is the pain localized?" The doctor's fingers were cool and soothing on his fevered head.

"Are you going to give me something for it?"

"We have to understand the problem if we are to treat it. Can you tell me where the pain is?"

It felt like everywhere. He concentrated, trying to identify where it hurt the most. His hand went to his head and indicated a broad band at the top. "Here." An area at the back. "And here."

"Hmm."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not certain." Sun rubbed the back of his neck, his lips pursed in thought.

Avon asked with his normally impassive tone, "But you have an idea?"

"I'm not a specialist in this area," said Sun.

"You've mentioned that."

"My guess would be that the Thaarn's machine separated out the alternate personality."

"That's apparent," said Avon.

"But it's inherently a strong personality." His eyes met Argus's. "And it's been separated too long for it to be reintegrated easily."

There were puzzled faces all around. Cally asked, "Reintegrated?"

Dr. Sun continued rubbing the back of his neck. "Having two personalities inside his head is causing a great deal of mental and psychological stress. His mind is trying to resolve it by reintegrating them as they were before."

Sester had suspected some of this already from his observations on the flight deck.

Avon said, "We don't want it reintegrated. We want it removed."

Sester said, "It can't be removed."

Shocked and suspicious looks were turned towards him. He smiled and turned to Argus, "The Wolf isn't just in you, it's an integral part of who you are."

Reya's hand rested on Argus's arm. "Are you saying that he's part wolf?"

The psychostrategist shook his head. "Genetically, as the doctors have said, he is human." His fingers traced the hard end of the bed. "Federation criminotherapists are able to implant personalities and create false memories. The most successful ones are those that utilize what is already there. Using the existing building blocks of a person's character. In this case," he faced Argus, "your leadership ability, your dominant Alpha personality, your overriding instinct to protect those around you, your aggression and innate physicality, and your courage. They took these and readjusted them to build an alternate personality. One that is you, but a different you."

Argus sat up. "Why a wolf?"

"Because you have many characteristics that are suited to a wolf. Even your reaction to Reya. Wolves mate for life."

Avon said impatiently, "This is all very interesting, but why did they pick an animal? I'm assuming the reason they did all this was because of his aversion to killing? Then why not condition him to kill? Why go through this charade?"

Sester's mind was in full gear, filtering through the information in his head, deciding what to reveal and what to hold back. "Because, even with the advanced conditioning techniques at their disposal, the Federation still cannot force anyone to do something that is against their conscience."

Argus's eyes were troubled. "But I did kill. I…" His eyes closed tightly as the faces came to mind easily. "I was…" His fists clenched. He could never shut out the screams in his head or the accusing look in their eyes as the life bled from their bodies. The ghosts were never far away. His eyes opened and he looked at Sester. "Are you saying it was me all along?"

"It was the wolf."

Avon glared at him with his sightless and disturbing eyes. "Explain. Without the riddles."

Sester suppressed a grin at his tone. "You may not be able to force someone to do something against their conscience but what if you can convince someone that what they're doing is _not_ against their conscience?"

Vila said, "That doesn't make any sense. Does it?"

"I think a demonstration is in order," said Sester. He looked around him and opened up a drawer. "What if I can convince you to kill me? Right here?" He held up an object that glinted. "Slit my throat with this surgical implement?"

It was a surgeon's knife, its sharp edge faced towards Vila.

Vila said nervously, "I can't do that."

"I give you permission to."

"But…" he looked around for help, "That would be cold-blooded murder."

Sester smiled. "And that would be against your conscience?"

"Yes!"

"I can't let you do that."

Vila nodded emphatically, "You can't _make_ me do it."

"That's good to know. But what if I asked you to use the flat of the blade?" He turned his wrist and showed the dull edge of the blade. "And _pretend_ to kill me? Could you do that?"

Vila could feel Sester was up to something. He said apprehensively, "I don't know…"

"Come on, Vila. It's harmless." Sester drew the knife across his palm and held up his uninjured hand. "You see?" He held the knife out, handle first. "If it will make you feel better, why don't you test it on my hand as I did?"

Vila took it. For a moment, he stared at the blade, making sure to use the dull edge. It felt odd. There was a slight tingling sensation. On the other hand, maybe he was just nervous with all the people staring at him.

Sester held out his hand, palm up. "Like before."

Vila held out the knife, trying not to shake. It wasn't as if this was real. He wasn't going to hurt Sester.

Then why did he feel nervous? The psychostrategist was up to something. He was almost sure of it.

Positioning the knife, Vila turned his head away as he drew the blade down and across Sester's palm.

There was a collective gasp. Vila quickly looked back and nearly fainted at the line of red across Sester's palm. Blood seeped from the wound as Cally quickly got a tissue regenerator and applied it to his hand. "What did you think you were doing?"

Sester winced. "Making a point."

"I didn't know you would be crazy enough to turn on the vibroblade!"

Vila took a step back, "A vibroblade?"

Cally said, "It's used in some types of surgeries."

Sester winced as Cally tended to his wound, not too gently. He said lightly, "The only risk was having either you or the doctor stop me. But it was a low risk."

"Neither one of us thought you were insane enough to turn it on," said Cally as she checked the sealed wound.

"I suppose your opinion of me has been changed accordingly?" asked Sester with a grin. "There was no real risk of injury. At least not permanent. We _are_ in the medical unit and I was fairly certain you wouldn't let me bleed to death."

Vila's face was pale. "Were you going to..." He felt weak at the knees and sat down heavily on a nearby bed.

"Don't worry, Vila. I wasn't about to let you anywhere near my throat." It had been an easy manipulation. A small deception that was almost beneath him. He had far more interesting and potent psychological tools in his arsenal.

Avon said coldly, "I might."

Sester chuckled. "Then it's a good thing you can't see me."

"Play that kind of game again and I will tell Wolf that you are _not_ one of the pack."

They faced each other like opponents in a deadly game of chess. Everyone seemed to be holding their breaths. Even without his sight, no one doubted Avon was still a very dangerous man.

Sester said finally, "I believe you would."

"Then you might live, but I wouldn't guarantee it."

"As I was saying," said Sester. "If you can make people believe what they're doing isn't wrong, then you can make them do anything. In this case, the act of killing is natural to the wolf. It sees nothing wrong in killing for its own reasons." He turned to Argus. "We cannot remove the Wolf. The only people who know how to do that without damaging your mind are the ones who did the programming."

Reya squeezed Argus's hand. "There's nothing we can do?"

Sester's tone softened. "If you want to avoid the problems with the reintegration, Argus will have to come to terms with having the Wolf in his head."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Argus's head bowed and he stood like a mute statue of a brooding man. Tense muscles stood out like thick-bunched cords on his neck and his shoulders rounded protectively.

The stark silence of their cabin waited for a conversation Reya hoped they would have. She would wait for him.

The room was functional, almost bare, reflecting a military lifestyle where neither expected to stay in one place very long. Permanency had never been in their vocabulary.

She wondered why that had never changed. They'd known each other over a year. Fought together. Fought each other. Stood side by side against the enemy. Shared their lives.

What was it Sester said? Argus had many characteristics of a wolf. Wolves mated for life. So did she.

It was time for a little permanence.

She was looking forward to the bonding ceremony. In the past, she'd never considered it important. Had scoffed at the meaningless ritual that did not guarantee the words that were spoken.

Her attitude had changed and she wasn't even aware of when or how. She did know why. It was because of him, but not because he would have wanted an elaborate ceremony. In that, they were both alike. A few words spoken in commitment had been all they wanted or expected. Simple, functional, direct and swift. Like a quick military strike.

There was something about an official ceremony that she wanted for him. His life had never been his own. He had always served someone else, even as a rebel. It was his choice but it wasn't really for him. It was a debt he owed to those he had killed and those who gave their lives for him. It was because of a heart that would not allow him to be still while others suffered.

He had never done anything solely for himself.

This would be for him. Just as she was for him.

It was hard to see him suffer. It was like a knife piercing her heart. She couldn't imagine how he was feeling now but she wanted to understand; she wanted to help him.

Reya laid the flat of her hand on his broad back and felt a shiver run through him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

Argus was hot to the touch, like an engine overheating, and the tension was a current of energy beneath his skin. His chest expanded, pressing against her hand. He exhaled like a slowly deflating pump and turned around to face her. His eyes were troubled, searching hers for answers he could not find himself.

He said, "I know what you said before. That your feelings will never change no matter what happened. But we didn't have proof about the wolf. We do now. If you…"

She pressed her fingers to his lips. "Don't."

"But..."

"Do you believe me when I say that I am also mated to you for life?"

"Yes, but..."

She brushed the tips of her fingers gently across his lips. "Do you want me, for life?"

"More than anything, but Reya..."

Her eyes were earnest and her love surrounded him like a warm blanket. "Then there is no need for buts."

The Wolf in him leapt for joy as he gathered her in his arms.

**********

Afterwards as Argus and Reya rested, safe in each other's arms, Argus spoke to the Wolf.

_Does one not like Wolf?_ The creature asked.

_I do_.

_Then why is one troubled?_

_Wolf, I need you to promise me that you won't kill anyone unless I agree._

The creature puffed out its chest and raised its head. _Wolf is Alpha. _No one gave it orders or controlled its actions.

_I know. We both are, but this body is human. There are certain customs humans follow that wolves don't_.

_Silly customs. One must hunt_.

_I know you hunt to feed the pack but we have food dispensers that take care of that._

_One does not like dead food._

_Don't wolves kill their prey before they eat?_

The Wolf erupted in barks of laughter. _One cannot eat prey if it is moving. _

Argus sighed. He had a sneaking suspicion this discussion might be like the one about clothing. It was going to take some getting used to having the Wolf in his head. _I meant, when you eat prey, it's also dead. Just like the dispenser food. What's the difference?_

_Machine food has no life._

_You mean it was never alive? I don't think you can tell the difference._

_One can tell._

It was strange but Argus could almost 'see' the creature's amber eyes in his mind. They shone with different intensities as it spoke to him, depending on its mood. Now they were glowing with insistence.

_That's only because you can see it coming out of the machine. _Argus refrained from rolling his eyes as his imagination gave him the scene of a taste test with freshly killed meat next to the more appetizing, cooked, dispenser food.

_Oh. _He groaned and his tongue curled up in distaste. _I don't think I can eat raw meat._

_One does not understand why one must burn food._

"Are you talking to the Wolf?" Reya asked, startling them. She had been awake for several minutes, watching his animated face and the faraway look in his eyes.

Argus flushed pink with embarrassment. "Yes. Did we wake you?"

"You were making sounds. I was worried."

"We'll try to be quieter."

_One did not wish to wake Reya-mate._

Argus conveyed the message, "Wolf said he's sorry too."

Her interest was piqued. "He can hear me?"

"He's here."

She said, "Can you tell him it's alright? I don't mind."

The Wolf leaned forward and licked her cheek in affection.

Argus yanked his head back, yelling, "Stop that!" Obviously, they needed to set some boundaries; no licking of people with his tongue being a top priority.

Reya was more curious then repulsed as she wiped her cheek. "That was the Wolf?"

"I'm sorry, Reya. Sometimes I can't control it."

"It's alright." She touched the corner of his eye, wondering if there was a difference when the Wolf was dominant. It would be less confusing if she could tell. "Wolves are affectionate creatures." A smile softened her face. "Just like someone else I know."

Argus grinned and hugged her. "Anyone I know?"

"What were you talking about before with the Wolf?"

"Food."

That surprised her. "Food?"

"Wolf doesn't like our dispenser food."

"Then it has good taste. I never liked it either. There's a dead taste to it. I prefer fresh food."

The creature inside his head harrumphed in a clear indication of, 'I told you so.'

_I don't think she means raw meat, _Argus told it.

_One has never asked._

_I'm not going to ask if she wants to eat raw meat! This is embarrassing enough as it is!_

_Why is one embarrassed?_

Argus rolled his eyes.

Reya wished she could hear the missing part of the conversation. "The Wolf again?"

Argus nodded. "It wants…" His jaw tightened. "It wants to know if you like raw meat."

Reya considered her answer carefully. It was strange having a second hand conversation with the Wolf. She felt as if she was meeting one of Argus's in-laws. "I don't like burnt meat. I prefer mine rare to medium-rare."

Argus said, "I do too."

The creature snorted. _Then one does not understand why Argus-Alpha was being so difficult._

_Grrr._

Reya said, "That must have been the Wolf."

"That…" Argus flushed red, "was me." He sighed. "I don't know if I can do this, Reya. I think I'm going to go insane."

"We'll all help you."

"That's what I'm afraid of." The last thing he needed was 'helpful' suggestions from Avon, Vila and the constant thorn in his side, Sester.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Jenna punched the numbers into the keypad, imagining all manner of unpleasant things for the man who seemed to be staring at what she was doing, but couldn't possibly be. "Stop staring at me!"

Avon cocked his head. "Who are you talking to?" He hadn't heard anyone enter his lab.

"You!" She entered the last number with a stab of viciousness. "And yes, I know you're blind! And yes, I know it's my fault!"

"You're tired." He felt the panel in front of him and flicked a switch.

"Stop pretending!" She didn't know why she was yelling but it felt good.

"There is nothing wrong with my ears." He noticed people had a tendency to speak louder to him even though he was only blinded. It had been amusing at first, then annoying but now he generally ignored it. Jenna's outburst was different.

"Stop pretending you care."

"It's a matter of self-interest." Avon's sightless eyes turned to her. "If you make a mistake, I would have to start over."

"I knew it!" It was annoying that he couldn't benefit from her glare.

"It must be comforting." Sarcasm briefly curled Avon's lips. "Have you finished?"

"Yes, I've bloody well finished!" She lifted the data pad to throw it at him but slammed it down on the table instead.

"Good. Once you've had some rest, I have another file for you to input."

"You…" She was feeling hot under the collar.

"Yes?" Avon's face was impassive but she imagined he was being insufferably smug underneath.

She shoved back on her chair and got up. "Nothing! I'll be back."

"Don't take too long." He bent over his task again. "Computer. Bring the last data model online."

Jenna glared at him but Avon no longer seemed to be paying attention to her.

"Fine!" She stalked towards the door and crashed into Vila. "Ahh! Why don't you look where you're going?" The whole world seemed to be against her today.

Vila rubbed his forehead. "What did I do?"

"Nothing!" Jenna's look dared him to say something before she clomped out loudly.

"What's with her?" Vila asked as he came over to where Avon sat in front of the computer. "Did you do something?"

Avon straightened up, his face blank but tension crinkling the corner of his eyes at the new interruption. "We were working."

"That would put me in a bad mood too," Vila chuckled good naturedly. Not even a huge bruise on his forehead - he could feel it growing as they spoke, a big red one - could dampen his spirits today.

"Are you here for a useful reason?"

"Oh, yeah. Are you coming tonight?" The event being Argus's pre-bonding party, though Vila liked the old name, a bachelor party. He wasn't sure why they used to call it a 'stag' party.

"Yes." Avon turned towards the computer again.

Vila beamed. "That's alright then, see you tonight." He turned to go and then whirled around and stared at Avon.

Avon was becoming quite good at interpreting sounds and before Vila could get a question out, he said, "You want to know why?"

"You're…" Vila's face scrunched up at Avon's oddly social behaviour. His eyes brightened. "You're curious about the wolf?"

A smile pulled at the corner of Avon's lips but his voice was expressionless. "A scientific curiosity."

The small movement did not escape Vila's sharp eyes. "You don't fool me, Avon."

"I wasn't trying to." He turned to his work. "Computer, run tests…"

"Why do you do that?" Vila pulled up a chair and studied him. He found that without his eyes, Avon wasn't as careful about keeping his emotions from appearing on his face. Maybe it was easy to forget if you couldn't see anyone else's reactions either.

Avon's jaw tightened when he heard the movement of the chair. "I'm _trying_ to test a different algorithm for the Shade antidote."

It didn't answer Vila's question but the mentioned of Shade robbed some of the wind from his sails. "Oh." He leaned over to look at the data model. "You found anything yet?"

Avon turned dim eyes to stare at him. "I might if you stop interrupting."

"Alright, alright. I know when I'm not wanted." Vila got up from the chair with a sniff. Before he left, he said, "You know, it wouldn't kill you to admit you're coming because Argus is your friend. I wouldn't tell anyone."

**********

Jenna stalked the corridors like a predator, determined to pick a fight with the next person who was unfortunate enough to cross her path. The Thaarn's machine had brought out some unpleasant truths about herself. She had nothing, no one on this ship liked her and her position as Avon's assistant - more like personal slave - was irritating and demeaning.

She was older than any of the women on the ship, and she looked it. And those damned soldiers still insisted on calling her "ma'am"!

Lt. Dain appeared at the end of the corridor, walking with the confidence of a young man in his prime. His head nodded politely as he passed her, "Ma'am."

Jenna rounded on him like a panther pouncing on a prey. "Don't you dare call me that!"

Dain's eyebrows rose high on his head. "Ma…I didn't mean to offend. My apologies."

"You don't have to be so excruciatingly polite, if you don't like me say so!"

The level-headed young man stared at Jenna's wildly flashing eyes. His manner was calm and firm, like the competent lieutenant he was. "You're upset."

"And don't be so damned patronizing!" She planted her hands at her waist, dug in her feet and glared at him.

He took in her posture at a glance. There were many ways to deal with this kind of situation but Jenna was a civilian who was not under his command. Not to mention she was a woman who seemed intent on taking a bite of someone.

Dain glanced at his black-strapped chronometer. "I can meet you in the gym in an hour. I have something to do right now."

Jenna was almost screaming at him. "And why would I want to do that?" She needed to explode at someone but the lieutenant refused to rise to her bait.

His voice was calm. "You need to work out your aggressions."

Her voice dripped sarcasm. "And you think a workout will _help_?"

"A workout _with me_."

"And what's so special about you?"

"Nothing at all, Jenna. But I'm offering. I suggest you accept."

He was being so helpful that it was deflating her anger. "This had better be good."

"That depends on how hard you can punch."

**********

Argus prowled the empty flight deck, like a sinewy beast on silent padded feet.

Zen reported, "Communication channel established."

"Put it onscreen, Zen."

The Federation President's eyes shone with anticipation. "Commander. How good of you to call."

Argus was in a growling mood. "You wanted this meeting."

"So I did, but it's always a pleasure talking to you."

"Don't expect me to return the sentiment."

Servalan smiled.

_One does not like this woman, _growled the Wolf.

_That makes two of us._

"What deviousness are you up to now, Servalan?"

The screen flashed. There was a howl of pain in his head as he put his hand to his eyes. His mind opened up to the memories that had been denied to him.

The Wolf snarled at the screen. "One will not do that again."

A cold - very unfamiliar - shiver ran up Servalan's spine. She backed away from the screen before she realized what she was doing. Argus had been menacing before but this was different. "I don't know what you mean."

The amber eyes flashed. "One will not make fire on the screen."

"Fire?" The eyes seemed to bore straight into her soul. Anger rose up. Servalan was not used to being intimidated. "Don't forget yourself, Commander."

Argus blinked and his eyes closed for a second. When he opened them again, there was undisguised anger. "You've been playing with my mind."

"I don't know what you…"

"Skip it, Servalan. You can't fool me anymore. _I know what you've been doing_."

"Do you, now?" Her voice was smooth.

"You've been using me. Controlling me." Fiery eyes glared at her, the slightly amber glow was disturbing. "I was a fool to make an agreement with you. _That is now over."_

It was Servalan's turn to be angry. "You don't know what you're saying. I can take Avon back any time I want. The only way to keep him safe is…"

The Wolf's growl started at the base of Argus's throat and burst into a roar. "I will keep Avon safe!" His voice lowered to a deadly rumble that seemed to rock the walls. "If you touch him, we will kill you."

"Don't try to threaten me."

Argus's eyes were like fire. "_You know it was __**not**__ a __**threat**_."

Servalan was like ice to his fire as she pushed down an involuntary shiver. "You're making a serious mistake, Commander. There is still an alien incursion to deal with."

There was a pause.

_What do you think, Wolf?_

_She must be killed._

_I agree, but there are still the aliens to deal with._

"Very well," said Argus. "That is the only part of the agreement that will remain."

Servalan was confused by the unexpected turn of events, a state she did not like. "It would be interesting if Avon discovered our little agreement."

_Grrr. _"Forget it, Servalan. You no longer have any control over me. I will tell Avon myself."

Servalan stared at him across the screen, her eyes mystified. "It appears you won this round, Commander."

Argus's eyes narrowed at her choice of words.

"You will regret it." She reached forward and the screen went black.

_She must be killed_, stressed the Wolf.

Argus's fists were clenched. "I know."

Chapter Thirty

Argus stood outside the door to Avon's lab, taking deep breaths, trying to rehearse what he was going to say. No matter what he said or how, he knew it was going to be bad. Avon was never going to forgive him for betraying the trust between them. He was starting to feel dizzy, it was now or never.

"Computer, what were the readings..." Avon cocked his head towards the door. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Avon." Argus walked in reluctantly as Avon's head moved to follow his steps.

"I'll be done in another hour." Avon turned back to what he was doing. "Computer, repeat the..."

"That's not why I'm here." Argus perched himself at the edge of the workbench. "I need to talk to you."

"Can't this wait?" There was irritation in Avon's voice.

"No. It can't."

Avon turned his head to face him. "Well?"

"I've done something you're not going to like."

Sightless eyes stared at him, making it even harder to do this. He swallowed, trying to wet a dry throat. "When Servalan gave you back to us over Papos, it was because I made a deal with her."

"You agreed to work together to fight the Andromedans."

"It wasn't just that. I…" This was harder than facing a battalion of troopers naked. "…made a private agreement with her."

Avon's eyes hardened.

"I agreed to be her agent if she left you alone."

Avon's lips thinned. It had the effect of a dagger plunging into Argus's heart. "What kind of agent?"

Argus grimaced. "I..." His head bowed. "…agreed to be an assassin for her."

_One did not do a wise thing._

_I know that Wolf._

Avon's dark eyes fixed in his direction. The silence was deafening. "You're a fool."

"I know. I shouldn't have done it. I was wrong. It wasn't my decision to make. I…" Even if he fell on his knees, it wouldn't help. "…betrayed your trust. I broke my promise. I have no excuse." He felt horrible but it was only what he deserved.

Avon continued 'staring' in his direction, making Argus feel even guiltier by the minute. "Avon, say something."

"What is there to say? You're the one making all the decisions." There were slivers of sarcasm in every word.

Argus winced as they burrowed deep into his flesh. "I'm sorry. I don't deserve to be a leader. If I cannot keep trust with people who are important to me, then…I should step down."

_What is one doing?_

_Don't stop me, Wolf. I have to do this._

"You've said that before." Avon's lips formed a sneer. "_It obviously didn't mean anything_."

The slivers pierced Argus's heart. He felt sick and his head hung. "I know you don't believe me, Avon. I can't blame you after what I've done. I'm not much of a friend or a leader." His eyes sought Avon's face, wanting the other man to hit him, to yell at him, to forgive him, but he knew it was a selfish need. He sighed heavily. "You deserve someone better. Someone who won't lie to you. I'm such a fool, as you keep telling me. I'll leave this ship. It's always been yours. If you could drop me off at a neutral port, I'd appreciate it."

Avon was still "staring" at him without expression.

Argus slid from the edge of the table. "I'll gather the others together. Tell them what I've told you."

"I will speak to the Wolf."

"What?" Argus's eyes widened in shock.

"The Wolf." Avon's voice was curt.

_Wolf? Avon wants to…_

_One hears and understands._

The Wolf opened its eyes. "Avon-Alpha wishes to speak?"

Avon's brows lifted slightly at the ease at which the Wolf was able to assume control. "Did you understand our conversation?"

_"_One understands the words._"_

"But not the meaning?"

The Wolf cocked its head. "Human creatures are strange."

"In what way?"

"One is Alpha. Until one is sickly or can no longer fight those who would challenge."

"I am Alpha in this pack."

The Wolf dipped its muzzle in acknowledgement. "Avon-Alpha." It paused. "Argus-Alpha."

"Ah. In a wolf pack, there is only one?"

"The pack has one Alpha."

"How did Argus explain this anomaly?"

"Avon-Alpha is…a friend."

"You do not understand the concept?"

"Wolf has pack. Wolf has Reya-mate."

Avon's eyebrows rose slightly. "Wolves do not have the concept of friendship?"

"One does not."

"But you accept me as an Alpha of this pack?"

The Wolf nodded. "Avon-Alpha."

"Why?"

The creature sniffed. "Argus-Alpha."

"You accept me because Argus does?"

"One accepts." The Wolf wriggled in the clothes that itched. It tore at the clasps, ripping the top ones.

Avon tilted his head at the sound. "What are you doing?"

"Coverings itch one."

"You're taking them off?" Despite himself, an amused smirk turned up one corner of his lips.

The creature yanked the shirt off, dropping it to the ground. "Off."

"Returning to our earlier conversation. Do you know why Argus made the deal with Servalan?"

"Avon-Alpha is one's friend."

"I thought you didn't understand the concept?"

"One does. Now."

"Because of what Argus did with Servalan?"

"Arrrr."

"And because of what he is doing now?"

"Alpha would not do this."

"But a friend would?"

Wolf studied his face. "Avon-Alpha understands."

"Perhaps."

The Wolf gave a single bark of laughter.

A tinge of a smile touched Avon's lips. "Let me speak to Argus."

"Avon."

"You heard?"

"Yes. I don't understand though." He looked down at the discarded tatters on the ground and grimaced with irritation.

"You don't need to." Avon fell silent, his mind rapid with thought and decisions. "You're trying to make a grand gesture by leaving?"

"I…" Argus sighed in resignation. "No. I just think you'll be better off without me."

"You are not giving us a choice." Avon leaned forward. "You are not giving _me_ a choice."

"I…" Argus's shoulders slumped as the implication hit him. "I did it again. I'm sorry, Avon. I didn't mean to. I wasn't thinking of that."

"You never do." He 'stared' in Argus's direction for a few moments. "Give me a choice."

The Wolf shook its head in puzzlement and blew out a breath of confusion.

_Stop that. _Argus's voice became formal. "Avon, do you want me to go?"

"That is not the choice."

"I don't…Avon, I don't want to be leader. I don't deserve it. Not after what I did."

"That is not your choice."

"You…you're taking the choice away from me?"

"Do you object?"

"Of course I do!" He looked over at Avon's harsh face. "No. I did it to you. You have every right to take it from me."

"That isn't why."

Argus exhaled forcefully. "Talking to you is like talking to Ses…"

"Don't say it."

"And just as frustrating." Argus frowned. "Alright, what do you want from me?"

"Continue."

"You still want me to be your partner?" His brows knitted.

"Continue leading the others."

"But not you?"

"Wolf was right, there can only be one Alpha in a pack."

"But you're the Alpha."

"And you."

"Alright, there are two of us. I still don't get what you want." Argus sure he was going to get a headache.

_One's head hurts._

"What was our original agreement?" asked Avon.

The tension had eased somewhat but Argus knew there was more. No single conversation would be able to rebuild their trust. "We will lead together."

"The odious tasks will be yours."

"Thanks a lot."

"That is my condition."

"So you have all the fun and I get everything else?"

"Do you accept?"

Argus had not expected this. "Is that what you want?"

"Does it matter?"

"You know it does."

"Then yes." Avon reached out to the touchpad and turned off the modelling unit. "Were you going to leave without the Commander?"

Argus slapped a hand to his forehead. "I'm an idiot."

"You have a habit."

"I would have asked her."

"She will be relieved to know that."

"Now you're just mocking me."

A meagre smile spread across Avon's face. "You surprise me."

Argus sighed. "Can you tell me why you're willing to let me stay?"

Avon hesitated, his sightless eyes boring into the spot where Argus's voice emanated from. "You gave no excuses. Others would have."

"And if I had, you would have dropped me on the next neutral planet? Without courtesy of the teleport?"

"We'll never know." There was no smile on Avon's face.

"There's something else you need to know."

"I need to know everything."

Argus nodded. "Yes. The Wolf. I think Sester was right. It wasn't the Thaarn."

"That much was apparent."

"You knew?"

"I deduced. It was implausible the Thaarn would have implanted such a complete personality in a short period of time."

"I think Servalan was able to use the programming. She controlled me."

Avon sat up abruptly, leaning forward. "Was able to?"

"Yes. But not anymore. I think…" His forehead crinkled. "…it has to do with the Wolf. The Thaarn's machine separated us. The conditioning wasn't designed to work that way. When Servalan tried to use a light flash to activate it, the Wolf came out and told her to stop. She couldn't control me anymore."

"You've been speaking to Servalan without telling me?" There was a dangerous tinge in Avon's voice.

"I'm telling you everything now, Avon."

"Go on."

"Yes, I've been speaking to her directly under a secure protocol."

"How many people have you killed for her?"

"I never killed anyone I did not agree to. That was part of the arrangement."

One corner of Avon's lips rose in cynicism.

"Yes I know." Argus exhaled noisily. "I only killed one person for her, Sevisia."

Avon's brows lifted in surprise.

"She didn't give me a reason. I'm sure it was for some nefarious purpose, but I didn't ask. I didn't mind killing him."

"Is there anything else you've been keeping from me?"

"Not that I can think of." He glanced at Avon, glad the other man couldn't see that his shirt was off again. "I'm going to have to tell the others."

"A modified version."

"Servalan was not happy I terminated our arrangement."

"You will include me in your next communication."

Argus looked sharply at him. "She's not going to like that."

Avon smiled and a corresponding wolf-like grin appeared on Argus's face.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Thirty-One

The festivities started with drinks, or more correctly, alcohol and lots of it.

And hats.

"Is this necessary?" Lt. Dain dangled the tri-cornered, multi-coloured headgear by one corner and well away from his head.

"It's an old Earth custom," Vila said with a straight face.

Avon came towards them, his hand resting on Argus's shoulder. "It's more likely a Vila-intends-to-humiliate-us-all-while-taking-damaging-holos-for-later-usage."

"It's nothing like that." Vila exclaimed, pressing a hand over his heart in a gesture of sincerity, which might have worked if he wasn't trying to suppress a smirk and none too successfully. Dain eyed him suspiciously.

"Here's yours, Avon." Vila extended a black, grey-banded hat - reminiscent of an old-style fedora - and touched the back of Avon's hand with it.

"I'm not wearing anything you're giving me." Avon squeezed Argus's shoulder. "Wolf, to the couch."

"Arrrr." Wolf led the way to the centre of the room, expertly avoiding the crowded space.

"And put on the hat."

"Rrr?" They sat down together.

"It's a human custom."

The creature blew out an exhale. "Silly custom."

"Nevertheless."

Wolf took the hat and jammed it on its head at a jaunty angle.

Vila framed Argus's head between angled fingers and eyed him critically, "That's not half bad. Dashing. Like a secret agent."

Avon made a sound suspiciously close to a snort.

"You should've taken the hat, Avon. Cally might have liked a shot of you in it."

A familiar half-mocking - but saved by its silky quality - voice noted, "Why would Cally want a picture when she has the real thing?"

Avon bristled as his head turned slowly in the direction of the voice. "Vila, I assume you've prepared headgear for _all_ of your guests?" His tone was pregnant with meaning.

"Oh, yeah." He rummaged through his party box and pulled out a droopy star-pointed hat with little bells that jingled. "This is yours." There was a slight apologetic look in his eyes as he handed it to Sester.

Sester accepted the jester hat with a gracious smile. "How appropriate." With careful deliberation, he positioned it on his head, turning the points as if there was a specific angle he was trying to achieve. A broad, infectious and warm smile completed the ensemble. "What do you think?"

Vila's mouth dropped open in awe. "I…that actually looks…" His forehead crinkled in amazement. "It looks good on you. I…don't know how but…"

"What did you give him?" Avon asked, a frown casting a shadow across his face.

"It's a jester's hat."

"A fool's hat?"

"Yeah but…" Vila glanced at Sester.

"What Vila is trying to say…," there was a superior smile on Sester's face that made Wolf snarl, "…is that you can look good in anything, if you know how."

Wolf bared its teeth and rose from the seat like a tide of aggression. Avon put his hand on his arm. "Argus."

Argus shook his head, as if he were trying to shake the water from his hair. "Are you going to keep doing that?"

"When I find it useful."

"That's what I'm afraid of." He sighed and pulled the hat from his head, looking at it dubiously. "Why am I wearing this?"

Avon said with a blank face, "I understand it's an Earth custom."

"It's a...what? I've never heard of this." He wrung the hat in his hands, crushing the brim.

"The Wolf likes it."

Argus stuck the half-mashed fedora back on his head, in the same jaunty angle as before. "I suppose I'm lucky it wanted to put something on and not take anything off."

"It was busy."

"Doing what?"

"You don't remember?"

Argus hemmed. "I was bored. I tuned out."

"That explains it."

"Explains what?"

"The snoring sounds. Wolf said it didn't make them."

Argus rolled his eyes ceiling-wards. "You're making that up."

The barest of smirks curled Avon's lips.

"Alright, Vila, let's get this over with." Argus snagged two drinks from Vila's tray, one sparkling blue and one light green. "What are the other Earth customs I've never heard of?"

He held the drinks up to the light. Light gleamed through them, streams of silver swirled invitingly and the heady smell of alcohol filled his sensitive nostrils. Wolf sneezed. "What's in this?"

"A little of this, a little of that."

Argus eyed him warily.

Sester took the glass that no one else had dared pick, a deep red liquid, like blood, that swallowed the light, its silver streams slithering menacingly throughout. "I don't think he trusts you, Vila." With a challenging smile, and jester's bells tinkling - which jangled on Argus's (and the Wolf's) nerves - he drained the cup.

_Grrr._

Avon stuck his hand out. "Wolf. He's baiting you."

The words came out in a low growl. "I'm not the Wolf."

"Then stop growling."

_Grrr._

"Yes?"

Argus brought the blue drink to his lips.

"Wait!" Vila stuck out his hand to stop him but it was too late. Argus quaffed it in two gulps. His eyes went as wide as saucers and he gasped like a man drowning as the liquid burned its way down his throat and raced straight to his head. "W-what is this?"

"I was going to say take it slow."

Avon's voice was like a sliver of ice on naked skin. "What is it?"

Vila winced. "A&S and Denecran brandy."

"Are you insane?" exclaimed Avon, his head turned in the direction of the still drowning man.

Argus straightened up, his eyes slightly glassy. "Everything looks--blue. Is that normal?"

"Is that normal?" Avon's eyes narrowed. "Vila. This is your mess." He turned towards Sester with a snarl. "_And yours_."

There was an impish smile on Sester's lips as he raised his hands defensively. "I didn't make him do anything. He did the drinking."

Argus's words were slurred. "Reya _likes_ blue. Did you know that?" He looked wistfully into the empty glass.

Avon's voice was firm, like an adult teaching a child. "You've had enough."

"But Avon…"

"Wolf."

The Wolf's soft amber eyes regarded Avon affectionately. "Rrrr?"

"You'd better take over for now."

The Wolf leaned forward and licked Avon on the nose.

Avon pushed him off the couch. The startled Wolf, its reflexes dulled, yelped as it hit the floor.

Argus stared up at Avon. "Why did you do that?"

"You…" Avon wiped his hand across his wet nose.

Sester chuckled. "You licked him."

"I didn't." Argus pushed himself up.

"The Wolf did," said Sester.

Argus looked at the uncooperative off-white ceiling again and shook his head.

_Wolf! Didn't I say not to lick people with my tongue?_

_Arrroooo?_

_You're drunk. _He looked around at the blue-tinted world. The whole ship seemed to be swaying. "I'm…drunk."

Vila grabbed his arm. "You'd better sit down."

There was a commotion by the door as two soldiers wheeled in a towering cake.

Argus asked, "What's this?"

"Have you never been to a bachelor party before?"

Argus stared at the person-sized cake; its layered edges rimmed with elaborate pink and blue swirls, a work of art in icing. "Who did you…?" His mind boggled at the idea that Vila could have persuaded one of the women on the ship to do what was traditional at a bachelor party.

"Just sit back and enjoy it," said Vila as he plopped himself on the couch beside them. All the men took seats in puzzled anticipation as the music began. It was a seductive, enticing melody, tickling their ears, promising delights to come. The melody built to a quick crescendo and lights turned off one by one. Mouths were wet in anticipation. In near darkness, a single bright spotlight hit the cake, making its white surface glare, and from its top…burst a beautiful Corinne with a big smile and arms upraised.

Fully clothed.

All mouths dropped open.

Sester's cocked his head in amusement. "She's beautiful but…isn't something missing? Or rather not missing?"

Avon's ears strained. "What's going on?"

Argus coughed. "It's Corinne. She's very nice."

Sester said, "And fully dressed."

"Ah. Then I haven't missed anything."

The soldiers, led by Lt. Dain, all stood up and began clapping in appreciation as the two who pushed the cake in, helped Corinne to descend from the cake.

Vila said, "I wasn't about to let her dance around naked."

Argus nodded. "I would hope not. That was very nice, Corinne."

"I hope that was alright," said the young woman.

"It was fine. Did you make the cake?"

"I have to go now. I have my own party to go to." She gave Argus a hug. "Have fun." She rushed off.

Argus said, "That was very nice, Vila."

Vila held up both hands. "Wait! Wait! We're not done."

Through the open door, two more soldiers wheeled in another huge cake.

"What's this?" Avon was annoyed that he couldn't see.

"It's another cake, Avon."

The music started again, but this time there was no waiting. A beautiful, longhaired and scantily clad woman erupted from the top of the cake and began dancing sensuously.

Mouths dropped open again. And then there was a loud collective gasp.

It was young Baxter, the nude model from the gym.

The room erupted in laughter.

Chapter Thirty-Two

The Harmony Room - the name, dubbed by Corinne, for the music room - was festively decked out for the female version of the bachelor party. No party hats were in sight although there was a whiff of alcohol if you really sniffed hard, or were a wolf.

Red and blue streamers hung across the glowing crystals, two hearts lovingly entwined. No one could miss the symbolism, unless you were Avon, and only because he was blind. Or maybe not, depending on your point of view; Avon's idea of romance being a highly contested issue.

The crystals added to the atmosphere, reflecting the joy in the room with exquisite sounds coaxed by a device Corinne had obtained from Avon. The melodic laughter of bells and light fingers lovingly stroked across stringed instruments, transporting the hearer to a world that did not have a word for war or violence. Obviously from a different dimension, or Corinne's very active and 'highly improbable' (Avon's words when he heard what she wanted) imagination.

A cornucopia of mouth-watering delights tickled their nostrils with whiffs of fresh strawberries (well, the sim version of it at least), the heady smells of chocolate promising to carry them to heights of sensual pleasures and, of course, ice cream. In the shape of bunnies. Corinne had discovered them in one of Vila's Delta vids. A cartoon about bugs, bunnies or it could have been about carrots. Obviously a nature vid.

"You did all this?" Reya had been apprehensive about this party. Despite the afternoon teas and music sessions with the other women of the ship, not to mention the sparring practices, she was still highly uncomfortable with 'girly' things. She didn't want to tell them the idea made her skin crawl and she'd rather get it over with as quickly as possible. And check on the men. She'd heard some strange rumours.

"Everyone pitched in." Corinne beamed with enthusiasm.

The door slid open and Jenna appeared at the threshold and stood nervously, like a vampire who needed to be invited in order to enter.

"Everyone?" asked Reya as she spotted her.

Cally glared at the intruder. "Who invited you?"

A fleck of vulnerability flashed briefly in Jenna's eyes before she reassumed a hard, bitter edge and a snarl that she must have learned from being around Avon too long. "Obviously not you." Her tone was harsh.

Corinne's eyes passed anxiously between the two antagonists but a determined smile of peace and welcome brightened her face. Her voice was light and airy, like an innocent completely oblivious to the idea of conflict. "I did. I hope it's alright. I thought it might be a good idea to get all the women of the ship together. There aren't that many of us and this is a bachelor party for women."

"You're right," said Reya. "Come in and join us. You're welcome here. Isn't she, Cally?"

"You can welcome her." There was continued hostility in Cally's eyes.

Kirsten eyed her fellow Chandaran curiously. Sester had suggested she not to underestimate Corinne. There was an innocence about her that Kirsten had never known, but there was also unexpected steel under her soft, almost child-like, exterior.

"Well, don't be so enthusiastic." Jenna came in, a sarcastic smile seemed plastered to her lips.

Reya could be the cold water to anyone's desire to cause trouble. "I will welcome you for the sake of peace on this ship, Jenna. But you could very easily be _unwelcome_." Her glare had the effect of pinning Jenna to the wall and watching her squirm. "I will never forget what you did to Rane or my people but I believe your contrition is genuine. If I didn't, you would not be on this ship. We will be civil to each other and smile and try to work together but cross me or harm anyone on this ship and I will show you what true pain is. Do we understand each other?"

Jenna swallowed hard under the woman's glare. There was a good reason why no one on the ship crossed Reya. "I understand."

Reya forced a pleasant smile. "Good." Her voice assumed a light quality she didn't feel. "Now ladies, you were going to give me a--makeover?" A grimace joined the smile.

Corinne pushed over a cart full of, to Reya, medieval instruments of torture. "You'll love it!"

"Corinne is almost sure you will," said Kirsten, trying to quash a smile at the animal-caught-in-the-crosshairs look on Reya's face.

The militaristic woman tried to look enthusiastic but it was hard as they led her to a chair. Having been in the military most of her life and growing up with a trio of extremely masculine brothers, normal female rituals were alien to her.

Reya sat down hesitantly, wondering if metal clamps were about to shoot out from some hidden recess and restrain her to the chair. Or if she could run now before they did irreparable damage to her image. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

She eyed the cart suspiciously as Corinne slid out several trays bursting with objects with suspiciously 'feminine' colours. Reya refrained from pointing out she had always objected to the arbitrary assigning of 'male' and 'female' colours; herself preferring numerous shades of blue.

Cally, deciding she was going to pretend Jenna was invisible, had an amused smile on her lips. "You're a soldier, I'm sure you've had worse."

"I'm not sure about that." The various shades of lipstick, flat ended face applicators and various implements that made her wonder if this was entirely legal. She closed her eyes staunchly, not wanting to witness the upcoming atrocities.

Corinne's brightly melodic voice said, "We can't work with your eyes closed."

Sighing, Reya opened them a sliver and then fully. "Alright, what am I supposed to do now."

Kirsten said, "Enjoy it?"

Reya shot her a disgruntled look. Kirsten had obviously been hanging around Sester far too much.

Cally placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Relax, Reya. This is your party. We won't hurt you. I guarantee that Argus will like it."

"Do you think so?" she asked, suddenly shy.

"I guarantee it."

"Alright."

Cally squeezed a dollop of cream onto her hands, and began to kneed Reya's knotted neck muscles. "I'll give you a massage while the others do your face."

Reya wriggled her shoulders and breathed in slowly. She exhaled slowly, her eyes half lidded in enjoyment. "That feels good. Did you learn that on Pleasure City?"

"Some of it." She applied her elbow to the area between her shoulder blades. "The rest I learned for Avon. He…has a lot of aches and pains."

"That still hasn't improved?"

"The progress is slow."

"He must be frustrated."

"He doesn't like…" Cally paused. "We're here to talk about you." With the flat of her hand, she stroked the length of her back from bottom to top, with a firm upwards motion. "How is Argus dealing with having the Wolf in his head?"

"He's frustrated too. He says sometimes it feels crowded in his head and he doesn't like it when he loses control to the Wolf. It scares him sometimes but…I think he likes the Wolf. They're very much alike."

Corinne asked, "What colour would you like for your face, Reya?"

Reya sighed. "Why don't you pick one, Corinne?"

"You want _Corinne_ to pick a colour? asked Kirsten in an exaggerated incredulous tone.

"Hey!" objected Corinne.

"Do what you think is best, just don't make it permanent." Reya hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

The two young woman began pulling out various items and placing them on the table. Reya tried to concentrate on the relaxing massage and blocked out whatever they were doing to her face.

After watching them apply various creams and facial masks, Jenna glanced at Cally. She tried to remember what it was like to speak without anger, resentment or bitterness. "Some of these have different scents."

They all stared at her, including Cally.

Corinne said, "Oh, yes! I forgot that." She picked out a bright red lipstick and placed it to her nose. "This one smells like strawberries. Do you want one of these?"

"No," said Jenna. "I meant for Cally."

Cally's cold voice was like a void between them. "I don't need anything from you."

"I was thinking Avon might find it interesting."

"You don't know anything about Avon."

Jenna nodded. "I know I am the reason why he's blind. I'm only trying to help, Cally. You can reject me but at least listen to what I have to say."

The rejection was at the tip of Cally's lips but she said, "I'm listening."

"Avon can't see but I bet his sense of smell has improved."

"Maybe."

"He might not be able to see your face but he can smell you." Jenna ran her fingers along the trays. "Some of these scents are very sophisticated." She picked out a lip stick, opened up the case and offered it to Cally. "This one gives the impression of a summer's day at the seaside."

Cally hesitated but sniffed shallowly. Bright summer. The warm sun beating down on cool skin. Waves gently lapping on the shore. She took a deeper sniff. "You're right."

"You can use it for Avon."

"Produce a picture for him using smells?"

"That's the idea."

She was reluctant to admit it, but it was a good idea. "I'll…consider it."

"That's all I ask."

**********

When the makeover contingent was done, they stood back to admire their handiwork.

"Well?" Reya asked impatiently.

Corinne's eyes were wide. "You're…beautiful. I mean you were beautiful before but you're gorgeous now."

Reya's eyes narrowed. "I want a mirror."

Kirsten chuckled. "Are you sure?" She reached into a lower drawer and pulled out a flat reflective screen. "You might faint."

Reya winced. "That bad?"

"Don't listen to her," said Cally. "Corinne's right. You're stunning."

Kirsten handed the mirror to Reya with a smile. "Yes, don't listen to me."

"Argus will be the envy of every man on this ship," said Jenna. "He's going to have to beat them off with a stick."

Reya slowly rotated the mirror up to her face and…nearly dropped it in shock. "Who is this?" She stared at the vision of beauty that stared back at her; the angular cheekbones, the red inviting lips, and the hard eyes that had been softened to a mystery.

Cally put her hand on her shoulder. "That's you."

"But…that's not me. That's someone else." She turned the mirror to different angles, trying to understand this new face.

"It is you. You're beautiful. You always have been. The colours only highlight your best features. But they're all your own."

"I…didn't know I could look like this."

Corinne asked, "Do you like it?"

Reya looked around at the faces in the room. These were her friends. They were here to share the joys and sorrows together. "Yes, I do, Corinne. Thank you. All of you. Now, do I smell chocolate cake and strawberries?"

**********

After the party and as Cally walked Reya back to her cabin, they ran into a staggering Argus singing and howling, carried between Lt. Dain, who was somewhat tipsy and Vila, who could barely keep upright and seemed to be permanently cross-eyed.

All three men ground to a halt and their eyes blinked wildly when they saw them.

"Arroo who is thish lovely…Baxter?" asked Argus.

"It's me, Reya." She felt very self-conscious under the admiring stares of the men.

"Arrrreaya?" He rubbed blurry eyes.

Vila said, "Can't be. She's…pink."

Cally looked at each of their unfocused eyes. "You're all drunk."

Argus, Vila and Dain beamed at her.

Vila said, "I hopsh sho. Wouldn't want…feel like thish and notsh bees drunk."

Argus and Dain both nodded and shook their heads in emphatic agreement.

"You're boootiful." Argus reached for Reya but managed to miss her by several feet as Dain grabbed him before he fell over.

"Dain, find a cot and have Argus sleep in your room tonight."

"Yes, Commander."

"But…" Argus's face fell. "You're boootiful."

"It's a custom," said Cally. "The pair to be bonded does not sleep together the night before,"

"Silly custom." Argus pouted as the Wolf sneezed.

"What's that on your head?" Reya stared at the crushed fedora.

"S'hat." Argus shifted it to an even jauntier angle and held his head up proudly. "Wolf likes it."

"He does, does he?"

"Avon wantsss holo of it." He nodded and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "He's shecret agents."

"He's a what? Never mind. Wait here." Reya disappeared into her cabin and came back out with a pillow and a blanket. "Here take these."

Argus clutched them to his chest like treasures. "Reya lovsh me."

"Yes, I do. Very much."

Argus lifted his head and howled.

"Now be a good Wolf and go to sleep in Lt. Dain's room. Come back in the morning to get dressed. Alright?"

A big smile brightened his face. "Yesh, Reya."

Chapter Thirty-Three

After dropping Reya off and seeing that the three drunken men were safely tucked away, Cally arrived in her own cabin. Avon stood stock still in the centre of the room, a bemused look on his face. At least he was standing.

"Avon, is something wrong?"

"Cally." He turned to face her. "Do you see it?"

Cally did a double-take. "S-see? What?" Avon's face was flushed. She immediately felt his forehead, it was slightly warmer than normal. "Are you feeling alright? What did you drink tonight?" His dim eyes gave no indication, if they had, that would have been surprising, or a miracle.

"Nothing Vila concocted, I assure you." Reaching out in the direction of her voice, he encountered her hands, took them in his own and drew her closer. "How was your evening?"

She searched his face but it was as it always was when they were alone, impassive still, but slightly more relaxed and animated. "It was enjoyable. We had a good time of sharing and treats."

"No drunken singing or men popping out of cakes?"

Cally scowled. "I heard about the men's party."

A brief smile touched Avon's lips. "Corinne, of course."

"Must men be so…"

"Disgusting?" Avon smiled.

"Primitive."

"We are men." He pulled her closer, breathing in her familiar scent and feeling her curves fitting against his body. His eyelids flickered and he leaned in, brushing the softness of her neck with his nose as he took a deeper whiff. An explosion of swirling colours danced in front of his inner eyes. "Were strawberries among the treats?" The soft, sweet fragrance made his mouth water. It had been a long time since he'd tasted fresh strawberries. The last time had been…with Anna in Europa dome. It was a long time ago.

He had an irresistible desire to taste those strawberries again, he kissed the sweetly scented flesh, his lips parting, and the tip of his tongue tasting… "Strawberries." He pulled back in surprise. "You taste like strawberries."

"It's a special fragrance. Do you like it?"

"It stimulates different sense receptors? Producing olfactory, visual and oral effects? There are certain chemicals..."

Cally sighed. "I tried to convince the women you can be romantic when you want to be."

"Ah." His voice softened but remained flat, like silk caressing exposed flesh. "This would not be one of those moments."

"It wouldn't be high on my list."

"Then I shall endeavour to do better."

Cally brushed her fingers lightly along his forehead following the curve of his eyebrows. Her voice contained curiosity. "Avon. The scent isn't supposed to produce a visual effect. Did you say that you had one?"

Avon's head cocked slightly. "I was experiencing visual hallucinations before you entered the room. The fragrance intensified the effect."

"Hallucinations?" Her hand stopped its movement as she searched his eyes. "Are you sure you didn't drink anything Vila gave you?"

"I had the Wolf bring me a cup of water." His eyes widened. "It must have obtained the water…"

"From an unreliable source."

"Vila."

"I hope you don't need Vila for anything tomorrow, Avon," she said in a half-joking, half-serious tone, "I might possibly want to kill him."

"I will leave you a piece. Would you like an arm or a leg?"

Light smiles played across their faces, each aware they were no longer speaking about Vila.

"It seems we can all have primitive urges."

Avon breathed in the heady, enticing scent of strawberries and Cally's lightly scented skin mingled deliciously together. Sensual warmth spread like a blanket over his body. "I would like to have a primitive moment now. If you have no objections."

**********

Somewhere a wolf howled in mournful misery. Dain shivered, gripped by an inexplicably primitive fear, and snuggled deeper under the blanket.

_Wait a minute._

He opened his eyes a sliver and was greeted by the familiar sight of his cabin, bathed in shadows of the night cycle.

Then the pain hit, a dull throbbing ache of a brain that seemed to be swelling, trying to break free of the confines of his skull. "Ohhhh." He moaned softly, remembering, just in time, the reason for his present sorry state.

Loud noises were to be avoided at all costs, along with light, and moving more than a few inches at a time. And breathing, as even that simple act caused groan-inducing pain. Taking light, shallow, delicate breaths, he looked over to the cot in the middle of the room.

Argus was curled up like a sick puppy, pawing at his head and whimpering piteously. A thin grey blanket lay in a heap on the floor.

"Commander?" The lieutenant dared a soft whispered query.

Argus whined and mashed the pillow over his head, trying to hide from the cruel world.

Getting up was a heroic feat that Dain didn't feel up to, but Argus seemed in even worse shape than he was, not to mention the howling and whimpering was far too loud.

Dain rolled his body out of bed, fully expecting he was going to end up flat on his face and would have to crawl the rest of the way. Automatic reflexes mercifully took over and he stood up slowly, one hand on his aching head, the other desperately grabbing at the wall. The room lurched and swayed like a drunken sailor. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his stomach from travelling up his throat.

Taking baby-like steps, he made his way to the cot. Dain shook Argus's shoulder. "Sir, are you alright?"

The pillow smothered a howl of pain and complaint.

Dain knew about the Wolf of course, but he'd never had to interact with it personally and definitely not in this state. He hoped the creature recognized him as one of his pack.

"Wolf, are you in pain?" That was a silly question. Of course it was, otherwise it wouldn't be making sounds that made both of their heads want to find a hole and not come out until next year. "Wolf, I can help but you have to stop making that noise. It hurts even more when you do that."

"Rrrr?" it asked in a whining query. Two red-ringed eyes appeared and stared at him from the edge of the pillow.

"Yes, that's it. Your head hurts more if there are loud sounds."

There was a low whispered grumble at the base of the creature's throat.

Dain couldn't speak wolf but the creature's feelings were very apparent. "Yes, it's not a very nice feeling."

The grumble became a low growl that ended in a whimper of pain.

"You're right, it's terrible." He had an irresistible urge to stroke the creature's head, as he once did for a sick puppy back home. This was all very strange.

The wolf sniffed, satisfied at the description and closed its eyes.

"Commander?" Dain asked in a bare whisper.

Argus's eyelids fluttered and his eyes opened. He groaned, "Don't shout." It felt as if an axe had split his head open and the contents were spilling out. He rubbed his sore head.

"Sorry, sir." Dain nearly mouthed the words. "Do you want me to go to the medical unit and get something for the pain?"

"Bucket."

"Oh. You're going to be sick?" Dain's eyes cast around for a large container. He might need one too.

"For medicine."

"Ohhh. Yes, I know what you mean, sir. I'll go and get it now." Dain looked dubiously at the door that seemed a mile away. He'd be lucky if he could crawl that far.

Dain spied the triangular comm unit on the table. _That_ he could manage. Barely. He made his way over, depressed the button and said in a reluctantly louder voice, "This is Lt. Dain. I need someone from the medical unit to bring pain medication to my cabin. Several strong doses. It's an emergency."

"This is Cally, Lt. Dain. What is the nature of the emergency?"

The normal-sounding voice was like an angry roar. Dain winced sharply and covered his ears. "Please, not that loud."

Cally's voice became softer. "I see. I'll be right there."

**********

Cally gently slapped several pain patches on Argus's neck as Lt. Dain administered his own. "You shouldn't drink so much."

Argus's eyes seemed to be in a permanent wince. He really wished they'd turn the lights down, or off. Dim lights weren't dim enough for him. "But it was a bachelor party."

Cally sighed. "Yes, I know. But still."

"It's almost a tradition."

"You could start a new one."

Argus put his hand to his head and wondered what Cally's reaction would be if he asked for another patch. "Then it wouldn't be as much fun."

Cally eyed him dubiously. "_This_ is fun?"

"You don't get it." He really wished he didn't have to think about anything. It hurt too much. Plus he had a sneaking suspicion he had to do something today but couldn't for the life of him remember what it was. "It's not about the day after."

"Maybe it should be."

Argus shook his head stubbornly and winced at the motion. Maybe Avon had the right idea with amputation. Maybe he'd felt like this before. "Is Avon alright?"

"Avon didn't get drunk. He drank water."

"I knew he wasn't human," Argus grumbled.

"Though I think Vila managed to sneak something into that water."

"Good old Vila. I should give him a medal."

Cally gave him a hard stare.

Argus looked down in embarrassment. "Maybe not. Did anything happen to Avon?"

"He was seeing colours and he developed a mild fever."

Argus and Dain looked sharply at her. Argus asked, "He can see?"

"Not in the literal sense. The substance Vila used, activated the optic centre of Avon's brain."

"Is that good?"

"It means if we can replace his eyes and optic nerve, his brain will be able to process the visual signals normally."

"That's good." He was feeling much better with this news and stood up. "Ohhh." And sat back down.

"Slowly. The medication has a great deal of alcoholic damage to neutralize."

"You can sound as sarcastic as Avon sometimes."

"Once you feel able to move, I suggest you run. Reya is waiting for you."

Argus's eyes became as wide as a full moon, his mouth dropped open and he slapped his hand to his head. "How could I forget that?"

"Yes, how could you?"

**********

Vila (who felt like death warmed up, had a cold compress pressed to his aching head and was trying, with great difficulty, to put on a light purple shirt) and Corinne were dressing for the bonding ceremony when the door chime rang.

"Who could that be?" asked Corinne (who was a vision in a pink and purple dress and, in Vila's opinion, far too cheerful for this hour of the morning) as she checked if he was decent enough for visitors.

Vila cursed the person who invented door chimes. Even the pre-prepared shot of pain killers and his grandmother's sure-fire cure for hangovers, was not helping this morning.

"Don't know," he whispered.

The door slid open.

Vila gulped. "Avon?" The pain in his head just magnified ten-fold.

"Vila." Avon's voice was colder than the vacuum of space.

"Are you alone?" he asked nervously.

"Who else did you expect?" Avon, in a smart silver leather jacket and black turtleneck and trousers, entered the room with measured steps. Jenna waited outside. Avon's head turned towards him, his sightless eyes, like lasers boring in his direction. "A firing squad perhaps?" he asked in a flat tone.

Vila looked anxiously at Avon, as Corinne looked curiously at Vila.

Corinne asked, "Is something wrong, Avon?"

Avon's answer was a 'loud' stare at Vila.

Vila put his hands up defensively, "Now, just a minute. I didn't mean any harm. It was just a…"

"Hallucinogenic?"

"I knew you weren't going to drink anything I gave you."

"You tricked Wolf." Avon's tone rubbed harshly against Vila's ears.

Vila winced. "Well, it wasn't hard."

"The creature trusts the members of its pack."

Vila felt like a heel. "Well, I wanted you to have fun."

"What was the chemical used?" Avon's voice remained unemotional but rose in a demanding volume.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm not a chemist. But it's called Lover's Sight, if that helps."

Avon nearly choked, remembering the previous night with Cally. He barely managed to maintain an emotionless tone. "Quite."

"Nothing went wrong, did it? I mean…" Vila's face fell. "I know you think fun is playing with your computers but I thought…you really didn't like it? Well, of course you didn't. That's why you're here. Honestly Avon, I was only trying…"

Avon cut him off with a curt lift of his hand.

Vila fell silent and considered amputation. A dark cloud seemed to be hanging over his head.

Avon's dark eyes continued 'staring' in his direction before he said with a blank face, "Cally enjoyed it."

"Oh," Vila said morosely. "That's nice." He looked up suddenly. "_Cally_ enjoyed it?"

"I will bring a chemical analyzer to any future festivities."

"Avon." A grin spread across Vila's face. "I have more of that…chemical. In case you wanted to do an analysis." His tone became suggestive. "A _complete_ analysis."

"All knowledge is useful."

"And I bet Cally would _love_ to know its chemical composition."

At that, the corners of Avon's mouth twitched in the hint of a smile.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Argus felt much better. Or rather, he didn't feel like dying, the Wolf was no longer howling and whimpering inside his head – who knew the creature was such a wimp when it came to hangovers (grrrr) – though he couldn't feel anything above the neck. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign but he was glad the pain was gone.

He studied himself in the reflective surface, straightening the collar, needlessly brushing the sleeves and breathing deeply. The dark navy dress uniform with mandarin collars and fringed in silver, courtesy of Reya, was an Athol one with Commander markings.

_I can do this. _He took in a deep calming breath, determined to do his best for Reya.

"How do you feel?" she came to stand beside him, slipping her arm around his waist as she studied their reflections. She was in a similar uniform and her face had a slightly modified look of the makeover with more subdued colours.

"Like my first day on parade." He hugged her closer and marvelled how perfectly they fit together.

"I know you're nervous."

"I haven't managed to say anything wrong yet at least." There was a wry grin on his face.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You'll do fine."

"You would say that even if I fell flat on my face."

"I'm nervous too."

Argus's brows lifted. "You?"

"It's a big responsibility." The warmth and solidity of his body made Reya feel as if they could face anything together.

"Should I lose some weight?"

Reya smiled. "Don't change anything."

"Not even my tendency to put my foot in my mouth around you?"

"That's one of your many endearing qualities."

Argus sighed and turned to look into her eyes. They were a great deal softer today than they normally were. "You're wonderful."

"That's the alcohol talking."

"Probably."

She gave him a playful punch on the arm. "Ouch."

The door chime sounded. A muffled voice said, "Commanders, its time."

**********

They walked side-by-side, automatically in step, to the bonding hall. Lt. Dain had gone on ahead to set things in motion.

Reya looked down at their matching booted feet. "We're marching."

Argus looked down too as they rounded a corner and the wide double doors of the hall appeared at the end of the corridor. "Yes?"

She sighed. "Nothing." They were both life-time soldiers, it was natural.

His hand reached for hers as they neared the doorway. Lt. Dain, who looked very handsome and serious in his own uniform, was waiting for them.

"Can't we go in together?" asked Argus, whose stomach was doing somersaults.

"It's tradition."

He sighed. "I don't like tradition." The Wolf sniffed in agreement.

"It's only for a few minutes." She squeezed his hand before she let go. "Lt. Dain."

Dain stood at attention, gave them the Athol military salute of fist over heart, and bowed. "Commanders. It's an honour sirs. I wish you both light in the darkness and hearts that are forever young."

"That's much appreciated, Lieutenant." Reya acknowledged the Athol blessing and returned one in reply. "And may you find your own light."

Dain nodded formally.

"That's nice, Dain. I never knew you were a poet," said Argus.

"He's an artist," said Reya.

Dain cleared his throat in embarrassment. "I wouldn't know about that, sir."

"Yes, I remember the art lesson in the cargo hold." There was a light teasing grin on Argus's face.

"I think, they're all waiting for you, sirs." The tips of Dain's ears were starting to take on a reddish tinge. "We'd better go in."

Argus took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and let it out slowly. "Let's do this then." He took Reya's hand and pressed his lips to it. "I'll see you on the other side."

**********

A hush descended over the packed cargo hold as Argus and Reya appeared on opposite sides of the room, ready to begin a walk that would bring them together in the centre. On a raised platform stood Admiral Tarkov in full military dress, the front of his uniform a sea of colourful campaign and honour ribbons. The room was draped in light and dark blue fabrics, with bits of silver glinting like bright stars.

The crew stood as one as the sombre music began and the two Commanders walked towards the platform. Their eyes were only for each other as all eyes were focused on them. Shadows danced merrily along the walls in celebration.

Argus and Reya reached the platform together, hands reaching out for each other as if they were magnets naturally drawn together. A peal of bright bells tinkled when their hands touched. It was a moment of truth that made everyone draw in bated breaths.

They ascended the few steps, two strong individuals already joined together, a formidable bulwark against the coming storms. At the top they faced the Admiral, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Cally and Avon sat in the front and she conveyed the details to him as they occurred.

*_ They're handsome together. I wish you could see them, Avon. They're both wearing the navy blue and silver uniform of Athol. _*

*_ Appropriate. _*

The Admiral raised his hands above their heads. "Please be seated."

Everyone took their seats, their eyes intent on the platform.

"I have known Drel Argus for a long time. He is an honourable man. A brave man. A leader of men. Very few can stand against him and win. But most of all, he is a man of compassion and integrity who would be the first to rush to anyone's aid."

Avon remarked to Cally, *_ Another idealistic dreamer._ *

*_ You mean, like Blake? Is that why you like Argus? _*

He turned his head towards her. *_ I don't believe 'like' was in my description. _*

*_ Wait a moment. _* Cally's 'eyes' opened up inside Avon's head and blinked. * _You knew Argus first. You were drawn to him from the beginning. Is that…_* Her eyes were deep in thought. *_…why you believed in Blake? Despite your conflicts with him? _*

*_ You are surmising I was subconsciously 'looking' for Jack? Interesting theory. _*

* _And your constant conflict with Blake was because of the ways he wasn't like Jack. _*

*_ An unsubstantiated theory at best. _*

*_ You're not saying it's an improbable one? _*

*_ Anything is possible. _*

The Admiral continued, "I don't know you Commander Reve but from the little Argus has told me, you appear to be a legendary creature who couldn't possibly be real." He smiled on them both with fondness. "But from my own observations, you are a perfect match. You are people of strength and integrity and your love for each other is true. So it is my pleasure to perform this bonding ceremony for you."

Kirsten sat in the second row with Sester. Occasionally she would glance over at his reaction but his face gave away nothing. He seemed amused, but then he usually did.

Vila and Corinne sat near them, their hands joined and eyes glistening. She leaned against him.

"Reya Reve and Drel Argus. These are my words of blessing and bonding for you." The Admiral's voice was grave but there was affection in his eyes. "May your lives be graced with good health. May you always find happiness in your journeys. May you be a refuge for each other from the storms of life. May your love grow ever stronger as you share your lives together, and may your future be even more wonderful than you dreamed possible."

He paused and nodded to Argus.

Argus took Reya's right hand and placed it over his heart. "Reya, I offer myself to be bonded to you. You are my better half. The greatest joy of my life. You are the light in my darkness, without you, my life would not be worth living. All I have is myself. It's not much but it is all yours if you'll have me."

Reya took Argus's other hand and placed it over her heart. "I do." She squeezed his hand. "Argus, I offer myself to be bonded to you. I never thought I would be able to find anyone I could give my life to. I never expected that someone like you could exist. You make me complete. With you, I feel that we can do anything and face all dangers together without fear. You make me a better person than I am. The fire of your passion inspires me. I may have many things that others may consider valuable, but in my eyes, they pale in comparison next to you. All I have and all I am, I offer up to you, if you'll have me."

Argus felt the start of a howl at the base of his throat and squashed it before it could emerge. His eyes seemed to be having trouble focusing, Reya's face was slightly blurry. "With all my heart."

_One's eyes are wet, _said the Wolf.

_No, they're not._

The Admiral announced, "Then by the authority invested in me as the senior official of a ship in space, I declare that Reya Reve and Drel Argus are bonded. And if anyone dares tear them apart, they will answer to me."

The room erupted in cheers and shouts of elation as everyone rose to their feet, throwing bright streamers high into the air that burst into a rainbow of colours. Eyes were moist with tears of joy and everyone rushed forward to congratulate the happy couple.

The Wolf lifted its head and let off a full-throated howl of joy that filled the room and echoed through the corridors of the ship.


End file.
